News of the Universe
by Pongo0614
Summary: The Doctor is the editor of a national newspaper, Gallifrey. He isn't pleased with anything other than perfection. Can the new writer melt his icy heart? (Follows the 2015 UK Election)
1. 5th January

_I actually cannot believe that I am doing this._

 _This is my first multi-chapter Doctor Who fic (to be uploaded). I have written a few one shots. I am actually really excited for this._

 _The beginning of this idea was to do it as a company, because I am an accounting student and I know a lot about business. but then the whole idea changed to a newspaper, to which I know nothing about (I only do now because of trawling through the internet)._

 _I hope you enjoy._

 _This is rated T for language._

* * *

 **5th January**

If there was one thing that she would always remember her mum saying, it was that being on time was being late, she should always try and be there 5 minutes beforehand. Clara looked at her watch before trying to weave through the people. She was, for once, late.

It didn't help that she didn't really know the area or foresee that everyone would want to get on the same tube as her at the same time or that some rude business man would push her out of the way so he could get on before the doors closed.

She was always learning. She had already made a note that she needed to leave ten minutes earlier than she did today. What a great impression she was going to make to her new boss.

If Clara was being honest with herself, the job wasn't what she wanted. As an English graduate, there was very little she could do with the degree that she had poured her heart and soul into. She wasn't too fussed about becoming a writer, well she could never live up to the high standards that Jane Austen achieved. If anything, she would have loved to become a teacher but she was desperately in debt and her stepmother told her that she should get out into the working world. Her dad agreed with the old cow.

And so that led to Clara Oswald walking to her first day, in the typical rainy British weather, late, towards Gallifrey.

* * *

Clara went straight to the front desk and asked where she was meant to be going. There were many different newspapers in the building and she didn't want to walk into the wrong room. She was given a fob to get in and out of the building with and told to go to the 12th floor.

She quickly jumped into the lift before the doors closed.

"Where you headed?" The woman said in the lift.

"12."

"Hey same." She shouted. "Are you the new writer?"

Clara nodded.

"Amy." She said holding out her hand.

"Clara." She said, shaking her hand.

The doors of the lift pinged open.

"Come on, I will show you around."

* * *

Amy had shown her where the kitchenette and the loos were on the floor before taking her into where they all worked.

"Hey everyone, this is Clara, the new writer." Amy shouted as she entered the room.

They all turned and looked at her while shouting a hello.

"Okay, so you have my wonderful husband, Rory, on business."

A man in plaid shirt turned back to her and gave her a wave. To Clara, he didn't really look like the sort of person that would do the business section. It just seemed weird to see the face behind such great articles.

"And the other guy is Jack. He is our sports guy." Amy dropped her voice. "There is a 101% chance he will flirt with you. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, please tell him because he will stop."

"Amy, were you just telling her how handsome I was?" Jack shouted.

Amy just rolled her eyes at him. He pushed on his chair and moved in front of them.

"My name is actually Captain Jack Harkness."

"Captain of what?" Clara said, trying to play his game.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

She knew that he would be trouble. Not that she was going to get involved with him. She was strictly on no work place romances. She had seen them go horrible wrong. Her work life and her private life were going to remain separate.

"You have Martha over there on health and science and Donna is next to her on technology." Amy gestured over to her left. "And over there is Rose on entertainment and River on world news. And that is everyone in here. Obviously you have the Doctor as our editor." She looked up at the clock. "And he will come in, in 3, 2, 1."

And on her cue, an older gentlemen walked into the room. He was the most sharply dressed out of them all. They seemed to be dressed quite casually while he was there in a grey suit and a white shirt.

"Right, I know it is the first working day of the new year but realistically we didn't stop. Now I want to get a few things correct. Martha, you are on the story of the Ebola nurse. Rose, you are doing about the Hobbit being a great success. River about ISIS. Jack, I am hoping you saw the Man city game last night. Rory … good old Rory, you are on about the election threat to businesses. You should see what the new writer writes about. Try not to repeat the same things as she does. Donna you are on the drone that taught itself to fly. Am I right?"

They all gave him nods and a yes.

"Oh and Amy for you, apparently it is divorce day. I have no idea what that is about but a short part from you about that would be brilliant. Now just if the new writer could turn up about now we will be flying."

"She already is here." Amy pointed to Clara, who was standing just behind him.

He turned around to her and Clara came face to face with the notorious editor of Gallifrey. She had heard many rumours about him, not many of them were good.

"You should have been in my office five minutes ago."

 _Great! My first day and I have already been told off by a man that is called The Fucker behind his back._

"You can blame that on me." Amy defended her. "She was in the lift with me and I said I would show her about."

The Doctor stayed staring at her and Clara tried to hold his gaze but ended up looking away. His bright blue eyes looked as though they were looking into her soul and she tried not to shiver at the thought of it.

"See what is happening with Labour." He ordered. "It is the second day of campaigning. I am sure you will find something to write about. Has Amy told you about the deadline?"

Clara shook her head.

"I need something on my desk by midday, but as it is your first day and it is already gone 9, you can have till 1 or otherwise it will not make the cut for tonight's paper. Got that?"

Clara just nodded as he left the room. If anything, she felt rather overwhelmed with what just happened. She walked over to the empty desk opposite Amy and sat down before starting up the computer in front of her.

"You will get used to it."

"Will I?"

"The first thing you need to do is forget the rumours. Once you get to know him, he is nothing like they say he is. Too many people have seen the bad side of him to paint a good picture of him."

"Why just Labour?" Clara questioned.

"Why are you pro Conservative then?"

"No, I just didn't realise that it was a pro Labour paper."

"The Doctor has always been pro Labour. One of his old friends is a Labour MP. You will get used to this all soon. I can promise you that."

Clara just hoped that she was right.


	2. 9th January

_Thank you for the reviews that I got._

 _I do have another Doctor Who story out called War Crimes if you want to go and check that out as well._

* * *

 **9th January**

Clara huffed as she closed the lid of her laptop and turned to the computer to turn it off. She had managed to finish her first week. It wasn't too bad actually, once she got the facts and started writing, she could produce something that she was happy with. There had only been one incident when she really struggle to write something.

She was quite unfortunate. Her columns were on politics and education. Two of the most hardest to write for. It wasn't that there wasn't nothing out there. It was the fact that there was too much out there and especially with the upcoming election as well. Everything was just so manic.

"See you Monday." Amy called to her.

"Monday?"

"Yeah."

"But won't we need to come in to write something for Sunday evenings paper?"

Amy laughed. "The Doctor is quite traditional. A bit like the uncle in Harry Potter. 'No post on Sundays'."

Clara didn't really know what to say to that. It had been just so full on for the past few days that she couldn't imagine having a day off from it.

"But we ..."

Amy interrupted her. "You are too new to this. Spend tomorrow in your most comfortable clothes and just refresh your emails and news feeds. Work on what you have been this afternoon but make it more like a summary of what happened over the weekend. Don't worry about it. Go home and treat yourself to a bottle of wine or whatever you like drinking. For it all starts again Monday morning."

She just watched her go. Amy suggestion wasn't a bad one. A bottle of wine seemed very tempting right about now. She had never felt so stressed in all her life. Even her exams and Dissertation seemed like a walk in the park now. But then again, she did like it when she was working under pressure. She felt like she performed better.

She was the last one in the writers room. Everyone had seemed to fly out when the clock turned 7. Maybe they were all going out or had someone that they wanted to return home to. Clara enjoyed the eerie quietness of the room. She packed up her laptop and placed it away when the Doctor walked in.

"Good, you are still here. Quick word in my office."

He turned away from her, expecting her to follow him. Clara couldn't understand why she had to move when there was no one about. She sighed as she placed down her bags and followed him. She thought it was just best to do as he asked. She swears that she is in his bad books for some reason.

"Sit down Miss Oswald." He said as he took the seat behind his desk.

Clara pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down, putting her hands in her lap.

He picked up a bit of paper before he began. "I really like the piece you did today about the conservative's failure over the NHS. You managed to spin it well."

"Thank you." She said, slightly apprehensively. She still had no idea why he couldn't have said that in the writers room.

He leaned on his desk. "Just wondering, but who did you vote for in the last election?"

"Isn't that one of the things you don't ask?"

"What do you mean?" He said lifting one eyebrow.

"Well you are never meant to ask a woman her age nor are you meant to ask who people voted for."

"Just answer the question, Miss Oswald."

Clara wondered when he would call her by her first name like he did with the others. All week it had been Miss Oswald. She was starting to feel like the teacher she wanted to be.

"I didn't. I was out of the country at the time and I didn't apply in time to get my dad to vote on my behalf."

The Doctor shifted in his seat. "Okay, who would you have voted for?"

"Honestly." He nodded to her. "I was as confused last election as I am this election. At the moment, I have no idea who I will vote for. I will probably make my mind up closer to the day but even then it is anyone's game for my vote."

He smiled before leaning back and opening up a drawer. "Well, I don't believe that." He said as he looked through the drawer. He pulled out a piece of paper. "I had a lot of English graduates apply for the job. I turned them all away because of the piece you sent me. I even had someone that had a joint honours in Politics and English." He placed it in front of her. "Out of everyone, I thought that you were the only one that was rather Labour in your writing."

Clara picked it up and read through it again. She hadn't really remembered what she had written. She was writing it at the same time as her Dissertation. It had been quick and to the point. It had just been something. She had got the email about it weeks before the end of her university course. She hadn't even read through it properly.

"It didn't mean to seem that way." She looked up at him. "Is this why I was hired without an interview?"

"Why would I need to interview you when you had written something like that?" He gestured towards the paper in her hand. "That is what I want from you every time."

She couldn't understand why. She knew she could do ten times better now.

"You were lucky on Wednesday." He stated.

"I know. I am sorry and it won't happen again."

"No, no it won't and I know you won't let it happen again. It was a very important piece that needed to be in. Unfortunately for you, most of your readers are interested in the politics side of the paper. That is the main reason that they buy ours over Skaro or Mondas. We are acclaimed for our political side. I _don't_ want it slipping."

Clara sat there slightly flabbergasted by what he was saying. She should have taken the compliment about her work to begin with.

"You can go now." He said, flicking his hand towards the door as he looked down at the page in front of him.

She quickly stood up and walked out of his office. If she stayed any longer, she would have said something that she would have later regretted.


	3. 15th - 16th January

**15th - 16th January**

She knew that she should have the light on but there was something about the dark that helped her write. She turned to look at her clock on her bedside table. It was 23:58.

Clara sighed into her hands. She had been trying to finish a story on labour's new caps on fat, salt and sugar if they were elected, but she had been hit by writers block and it was frustrating. She didn't want to give the Doctor anything else to be angry about.

She could feel that her eyes were stinging from the glare of her laptop. She rubbed them before pushing the laptop off her lap. She dragged a hand through her hair as she walked from the bedroom to the kitchen and yawned as she flicked on the kettle. She rested her head on one of the cupboards and closed her eyes as it boiled. She would hear when it had finished.

She rushed to make her coffee and made it back to her laptop. She had just realise how she was going to word it. Clara typed furiously as she tried to get it finished. If she finished it tonight, it would mean that she had more time to focus on a report on education tomorrow morning when she got into work.

Clara was on a roll when her phone buzzed on her bedside table. She picked up up to see The Doctor's name lit up the screen. She sighed heavily before answering it. She didn't really want to stop typing because she would lose her train of thought. Also speaking to him would make her forget what she was thinking at that moment.

"Give me a second." She said into the phone before she threw it next to her. She quickly finished off the paragraph she was on. It may have taken her a bit longer than she had expected but at least it was done.

She picked back up her phone.

"Sorry."

" _I would like to remind you Miss Oswald, you are the one to wait for me. Not the other way round."_

"I have said I am sorry. If you called ..." She looked at her clock again. "… 20 minutes ago, I could have been all yours. Been trying to write something on these caps for the past hour. You, unfortunately had to call when I was actually on a roll." She took a deep breath. "How can I help you?"

He seemed a bit apprehensive to reply. _"I have just found out that there are going to be three live tv debates. One is going to be a seven way debate between the parties. That one will be good hopefully. I want you to get on it. See what you can find out already about them. I want you to speculate what they could be like. I want our readers to be excited about them."_

Clara pinched the bridge of her nose. He was calling her at midnight to tell her that. Why couldn't he have waited until the morning?

"Yes. I will get on to it after I have finished this."

" _I have high hopes for it. Night."_

"Night." She said as he hung up.

She stared at her laptop for a while. The infuriating idiot. If she didn't have neighbours that hated her, she would have screamed. Was nothing she did good enough for him?

Clara didn't understand why she was so angry with him. But somehow it pushed her on to finish the article she was writing. She pressed save on it and looked at the clock. It showed 2:00. She would be lucky to get 4 hours sleep. She closed the laptop and placed it on the floor. She would look up the debates on her commute.

* * *

Clara yawned loudly. Her eyes watered and she resisted the temptation to rest her head on the desk. She felt so tired.

"Maybe this will help."

She looked up at Amy and gave her a smile as she took the mug out of her hand. "Thanks." She took a long sip and leaned back in her chair. "When did you get use to the lack of sleep?" She asked.

Amy laughed at her as she sat down. "My columns rarely come home with me. If they do, it is just to read through them or added a few finishing touches. You were a bit unfortunate. You do have the two that are constantly changing."

Clara took a few moments to drink her coffee and close her eyes. She didn't even realise that the Doctor had come in until her chair moved and she woke up.

"With us now Miss Oswald." He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Yes sorry." She didn't realise why she was apologising.

"Are you on track? Have you done anything on the tv debates yet?"

"Oh yeah, halfway through now." She nodded. "Will get it done. Maybe only just but it will get done."

"Good. Maybe if you didn't fall asleep on the job, you would get it done with time to spare." He said as he left the room.

She placed down her mug before she threw it across the room after him.

"Have you ever wanted to slap him before?" Clara said to Amy. "He rang me at about half past 12 last night to tell me about those poxy tv debates. He knew I was up late last night trying to finish an article. I swear he now does it on purpose. I think he is out to get me."

Rory snorted.

Amy looked over at her husband before addressing Clara. "He is not out to get you. Yes I have wanted to slap him before. I even think I did. It just takes him a bit of time to get use to new people. You will reach his expectations and then you will probably become his favourite writer. You are writing the political side of the paper. It is the part he cares about most."

Clara sighed before turning back to her laptop. It was just another 2 hours before the deadline. She could do it. She would prove him wrong.


	4. 23rd January

**23rd January**

Clara's phone was going mental. It was non-stop vibrating. She had the volume off but she could tell that the fact it was going off every five seconds was annoying everyone else. She was pretty sure that someone was going to throw it out of the windows soon, even if that someone was her.

She had downloaded this app, with after today may be deleted, which would notify her when something big had come up. Obviously something massive had come up. She hadn't had the chance to check her phone yet though. She had been writing this one article that she knew that the Doctor would want in the paper this evening.

"Either turn off your phone or I will throw it out the window." River said, leaning over to her.

"Sorry." Clara said as she picked up her phone for the first time that morning and looked at it.

She saw what the updates were about and then looked back to the computer screen. Maybe there was a story more important that the one she was on at the moment. She opened up a new document and scrolled through the updates that had come through on her phone.

"Clara."

She shivered slightly at how the Doctor said her name. It was something that she hadn't got use to just yet. He had only really been using her first name on the Monday. Something had changed in their relationship and she didn't really know what.

He leant on her desk. "Have you seen about the seven way TV debate?"

"My phone has been annoying everyone in this room by the updates about. Don't worry I am on it. Like a car bonnet." She turned back to her computer screen.

"What?"

She looked back up at him. His eyebrows were scrunched up in confusion.

"I am on it."

"What did you say? The end bit?"

"I am on it like a car bonnet." She said apprehensively.

He raised one of his eyebrows at her before leaving, shaking his head as he walked out of the room. She slightly wondered if she had said something wrong. It was just something that her friend at university started to say and she just picked it up.

"Oh and another thing." He said, halfway in the room. "I have organised an interview for you."

"Okay, cool. For when?" She picked up her phone and opened up her calendar.

"27th January, lunchtime. The exact time will have to be between you and Mr Danny Pink. I will send you the email."

She just nodded as she put it in to her phone. She would just hope that it would be more of a late lunch. It would mean that she would have more time to produce an article in the morning before leaving. She knew that she would have to plan her day well. Even if that meant staying up later the night before just to make sure that everything would be done.

* * *

"I don't like it."

Clara lifted her eyebrow up at him. "You don't like what?"

"Your writing style." The Doctor said, looking up at her for the first time since she entered the room.

"I thought you liked my writing style. I am sure that I haven't changed it at all. You even complemented me on it."

He looked a bit unsure. "You can tell that you are an English graduate, that's all."

She sighed. "Okay then, what would you suggest that I do to improve? You tell me what you want from me." She was trying to turn this so that she might get some constructive criticism rather than thinking that the last three weeks have been a waste of time and paper.

Maybe he was being made to say this. He looked uncomfortable as he tried to think of something. He shuffled a few papers in front of him before he spoke.

"Try and just convey the facts. You must be a lover for a good story because that is how you tell everything. Realistically, the first paragraph should really sum up what the whole article is about. There are some people that don't mind reading through paragraphs to get the key details but … some people just want the details there in bold. I know I said that most of our readers read our paper because of the political side of it but others don't."

Clara looked at him. He had never really seemed like a person who would get nervous. Well the rumours always painted him as this confident figure. She brushed away the thought that it could be her that was making him nervous.

"Okay, I will do that in the future."

"I … I love your headlines though. They are very imaginative."

She allowed her lips to form into a smile at she looked down at the floor. Something had definitely changed between them. Maybe her earlier thought might not have been wrong because the way he was looking at her was making her feel nervous.

"Thank you."

He cleared his throat. "Um, I think that will be all. Probably best if you get back. Maybe get in another hour of writing before you go home."

She looked up and managed to catch a glimpse of the smile on his face. "Yes, I will get back now." She stood up and walked over to the door. She opened the door but turned back to him before walking through it. "Maybe you could send me that email."

"Oh, yeah, sure."

She closed the door behind her as she left.

Something had changed. Something was different between them. She had no idea what and it was starting to concern her slightly. He had gone from being the most irritating person she had ever meet to being someone that she felt nervous around. The more she thought about it, the more she thought that she that it could be love. She shook her head at the idea. He was old enough to be her dad and he was still an idiot. It couldn't be love.


	5. 27th January

_I didn't realise that this chapter was so close to the beginning of this story. I thought it was at least another few chapters away._

* * *

 **27th January**

Part of her was excited to get out of the office for a bit but the other part of her didn't want to go. Clara was still trying to wrap her mind around what had changed between her and the Doctor and she doubted that her doing this interview was what he wanted. He had made comments yesterday which gave her that impression.

She finished her tea just to pull a face when she realise it was cold. She placed down the mug and noted that she should take it to the kitchenette before she left.

"Right I will see you all later." She said as she grabbed her bag.

"Have fun with Danny." Amy said with a smile.

"It is only an interview."

"He is a hottie. Maybe business and pleasure could mix." Donna said.

Everyone turned to her.

"What just because I am married, doesn't mean I don't look about. I do read the magazines."

Clara smiled as she passed her. She headed towards the lift when she passed him.

"Off to your interview?"

"Of course."

The Doctor stopped in front of her. "I am actually really looking forward to what you produce. I just hope that you ask all the right questions."

"Don't worry I will." She said as she managed to slip passed him.

* * *

Clara felt slightly under dressed. She was wearing a blouse and a skirt but everyone in the restaurant was wearing suits. She felt really out of place.

The waiter lead her to the table. She was the first one there and quickly took out her little notepad and pen. She made sure that she knew what she wanted before he arrived, just so she could quickly get this interview over with.

She stood up as he came over.

She would agree with Donna, Danny Pink was certainly easy on the eye. He was in a suit with a pink shirt on, which Clara thought that he pulled off very well.

"Mr Pink."

"Miss Oswald."

They sat down and ordered before she started to ask questions.

"I must say I did do a little research on you before we meet and every source I go on says that you were an army sergeant. That must have been rewarding. You went to fight to defend people. You could be called a hero."

She looked up at him and he seemed to have froze at her statement. His eyes had glazed over, like he was remembering something. She found her reason to why he left. Whether it was a bad experience or injury, she wasn't going to be the one to ask.

"And now you are an MP for the labour party. Why the change?" She paused before rephrasing it slightly. "I mean it is a rather big change. What made you want to be an MP rather than … say a school teacher or something like that?"

He sighed and snapped out of the daze he was in. "I thought that I could do more good here being an MP than I was ever going to do in the army. I … I didn't have the best time in the army. I have seen the way that government can be easily corrupted. I just want to stop that from happening to our government."

She quickly wrote down what he had said. She wanted to ask more about his military career. It was the only thing that fascinated her about him.

"Maybe a slightly obvious question but why Labour?"

"Every party may say that they won't cut the armed forces. I may be out of it but I still care about it. I believe that Labour will be the only one that will keep their promise."

Clara smiled and leant forward on the table. "Really?"

"What? You are the political writer for Gallifrey. Don't you believe in them?" He leant forward as well.

"Maybe, but maybe they are all the same."

Part of her knew that she was flirting, the other part of her was asking why. Yes he was handsome but there was no need for it.

Her phone buzzed on the table. She didn't have to look at her phone to know who it was. She didn't want to know what he had to say.

"Sorry, be back in a minute." She said, smiling at him as she picked up her phone and stood up. She made her way to the toilet.

"Yes?" She said when she had answered it.

" _Hows it going?_ "

She rolled her eyes. Of course he just wanted a progress report halfway through the interview. "It is going great thanks."

" _It might be best if you stopped flirting and starting asking more questions."_

She was sure she had her mouth open. "I am not."

" _Well … if you have already ran out of questions, I will email you some."_ And then he hung up without another word.

* * *

"Is everything alright Clara?" Amy asked when Clara dumped her bag at her desk and stormed out of the room.

"No, not at all." She managed to shout back.

She didn't even try to calm herself down as she pushed open the door of the Doctor's office.

"Clara, how …" He started.

"You have no right. I don't even know how to put into words how much I hate you. I know that you followed me. Not only did you phone call give it away but I also asked Amy and she confirmed that you left not long after me."

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak and stood up.

"I haven't finished yet."

He closed his mouth but stayed standing up.

"I really don't know who you think you are. I thought something had changed between us. You call me Clara instead of Miss Oswald. I was an idiot to think that. You know what. All the rumours that I heard about you are true. When they called you The Fucker, I didn't want to believe that someone could be like that. You are constantly undermining my ability. I have tried my hardest to see it as constructive criticism but it is hard when it comes every week. I know I am no journalist but you are the most arrogant bastard that I have ever met. Let alone worked under."

If anything, she felt better for saying what she said. She had kept it bottled up for about three weeks now.

"Finished?" He asked as he sat on the edge of his desk opposite her.

She nodded.

"Feel better?"

Again she just nodded.

"Good." He said as he pushed himself off the desk and placed his lips on hers.

It took her a little while to realise what was happening and for the briefest moment, she kissed him back and allowed him to walk her back to the door. Once her brain had total caught up with the fact that her new boss was kissing her, she pushed him off her.

She knew that she would look back on this day and regret her next move but she did it anyway. Her hand stung where she had slapped him.

"I should leave." She said before slipping out of the door.


	6. 1st February

**1st February**

The television was on but it was more as background noise to try and drown out her thoughts. Clara refreshed Facebook just to look at the same posts that she was sure she had already looked at five times before. She picked up her phone just to see that there were no updates. It was a really lazy Sunday afternoon and that was a big problem.

Nothing had really felt right since the Doctor had kissed her. She had managed to avoid him pretty well. He hadn't asked for her to come into his office again and the only time that she did see him was when he came in for an update, where she would keep her eyes on her laptop or the computer.

She knew that the adult thing to do would be to go and talk to him about it but she was just so confused by it. Not only had it taken her totally and utterly by surprise, she had realised that she was attracted to him. He was very good looking for his age. But then she would remind herself that he was around the same age as her dad and it would then be weird to have a relationship with him.

The bad thing was that she was sure that everyone in the office knew that something must have happened between them. Amy was the worst. She was constantly asking. Clara had just told her that she had called him an arrogant bastard. She didn't need to know about the kiss.

That darn kiss. It had played on her mind since. His lips were surprisingly soft against her own and boy did he know how to kiss. She would have allowed her to have kissed her breathless against the door if she hadn't realised that she was meant to be mad at him.

And he was her boss for Christ sakes. That's what made the whole situation ten times worse. She wasn't looking for a romance and definitely not a workplace romance. She'd already had her heart broken one too many times. She couldn't afford to jump into a relationship that could disrupt her working life as well.

She slammed the lid of her laptop down maybe a bit too hard. She dragged her hands through her hair before she got up to make herself a cup of tea. She just needed to distract herself from it. Nothing was ever going to happen between them.

She sighed heavily as the intercom buzzed. She groaned as she walked over to it, remembering that Amy said that she might come and see her. She thought that she was the last person that she wanted to see.

"Not now Amy."

" _Not Amy, wrong Scot. Clara we need to talk._ "

She rested her head against the wall. No, the Doctor was the last person she wanted to see right now.

" _I need to explain myself. I need you to understand."_

At that moment, she realised that he wouldn't go away until he had said what he wanted to say to her.

"Okay, come up then." She heard the door buzz open and waited by the door, opening the door just when he was about to knock. "Come in then." She said when he just stood there.

He tilted his head forward before walking into her flat. She looked around and now wished that she had spent those few minutes quickly clearing up. She could see him taking in her living dinner, seeing the paper covering the table, joined by a few mugs as well.

"I am obviously paying you too much to be living here."

She could see what he meant. It wasn't cheap to live in London or the surrounding area. Her flat was just on the outskirts but in a nice area. One of the walls of the living dinner was totally glass, giving her great views over the city. Everything was modern. Even though the walls were white, she had managed to personalise it with photos.

"I have only been working for you for a month. My dad is a … bit protective over his 'little girl'. He has supported me when he has needed to. He told me that I wasn't going to rent some box room just to get by. I almost bought a flat on the Powell Estate before he found out about all the weird happenings over there."

"You're a dad's girl then." He chuckled.

She turned to face him. "I thought you had come here to talk."

"I did. I would have spoken to you at work but you have been avoiding me." He was still staring out at the view.

She turned and walked back over to her sofa and moved the laptop onto the coffee table. "Well you had no right to kiss me like you did."

"I know but …" He sighed and turned to her, looking at her properly for the first time since he had entered her flat. "I know that this could change and affect everything, but you, Clara Oswald, drive me crazy." He took a step towards her. "I haven't been able to get you off my mind since you started." And another step. "I love your passion. I love your writing. I love that your passion comes through in your writing. I know that you are no journalist, but I will make one of you." He was now standing right in front of her. "We'll make a great team you and I."

She doesn't know why she did it but she rose up on her tiptoes as he started to bend down to kiss her again. They met halfway and Clara started to wonder if they could make it work. She did find him attractive and if he always kissed her like this, she wasn't going to get bored any time soon. She would allow him to kiss her whenever he wanted if it was always going to be like this.

She was the one to move her lips away from his but only slightly.

"We aren't really talking." She said as she raised her arms around his neck.

He already had his hands on her hips. "Talking is for later." He said as he dived in for another kiss.


	7. 5th - 16th January

_Okay we are just going to take a step back now and see the last few weeks from the Doctor's POV._

 _I have also had a very good week of writing and soon I believe I will be able to update this more often._

* * *

 **5th - 16th January**

 **5** **th** **January**

"Now just if the new writer could turn up about now we will be flying."

He had high hopes for his new writer. It was a shame that John had to leave but he had even been tempted by the offer that he got from Trenzalore. He even told him he would be stupid not to take it. It just meant that he had to get a new writer in. The last new writer he had was Amy and Rory. He wasn't great with change.

"She already is here." Amy pointed behind him.

He turned around to look at her. And it was in that moment he was glad that he hired her without an interview. She was beautiful. So beautiful that it took him a while to form some sentence.

"You should have been in my office five minutes ago." He managed not to stumble out.

He could see by the look on her face that she had heard the rumours. He hated that people could talk about him like that behind his back without actually getting to know him first. He never knew why people called him the Fucker.

"You can blame that on me." Amy defended her. "She was in the lift with me and I said I would show her about."

He allowed himself to smile slightly when she was the one to drop her gaze. It gave him a little pleasure that he had won that and it also meant that he could keep staring at her. She had the most beautiful brown eyes. He mentally shook himself off. The last time it happened was when he met River, and although their relationship didn't end badly, it was awkward to being with, especially because she was working for him. Anyway, she could be old enough to be his daughter.

"See what is happening with labour." He ordered. "It is the second day of campaigning. I am sure you will find something to write about. Has Amy told you about the deadline?" He waited for her to shake her head. "I need something on my desk by midday, but as it is your first day and it is already 9, you can have till 1 or otherwise it will not make the cut for tonight's paper. Got that?"

He couldn't be in that room any longer with her there.

* * *

"Ahh, did she get you all hot under the collar?" River jested.

"Leave me please." The Doctor said, not looking up from the paper. His cheeks felt like they were on fire.

"You did very well." She said as she took the seat opposite him.

He looked up at her. They were going to have this conversation if he liked it or not.

"You were giving her exactly the same look as you gave me when we first met."

The Doctor groaned and placed his head on the desk. "Was it really that obvious?"

"Only if you knew that look. Luckily the last time you gave that look, they were probably all in primary."

"Yes so I am old enough to be her father."

"That might be something she likes." She gave him on of her trademark smiles before leaving him.

* * *

 **7** **th** **January**

He was a little worried when everyone had given him something, save for Clara. She had the most important column and he was sure that she was late. He had finished editing everyone else. He didn't want to look at his watch to see what the time was. He closed his eyes and counted to ten in hope that she would come with it.

"I am so sorry." She said as she burst into his office. The door hit the wall heavily and she winced slightly at it.

He now allowed himself to look up at the clock. It was 13:10. It was more than a little late.

"Well it is, isn't it Miss Oswald?"

He now had the deciding vote. Did he hold out his hand for it and just put it as a one off and it won't happen again or does it not make the cut because of her lateness?

In the end he held out his hand and she placed the paper in it. She gave him a small smile before she left again as quickly as she arrived.

He shouldn't have allowed it but it was her first time.

* * *

 **15** **th** **January**

It was not unnatural for the Doctor to have periods of time where some nights he didn't sleep a wink. Just the circumstance of his sleeplessness was what it was usually. Usually it would be was the paper good enough, was his readers happy. Right now, he only had one person on his mind, Clara Oswald.

He hated change but maybe this change was good. She wasn't the best writer in the world but he knew that she would get there eventually. He wasn't a top class writer when he first started off and now look where he is. The Editor of the paper he started. It just needed a bit off work and he was sure she would be one of the best writers he ever had.

Too bad he was also thinking of a way to get her into his bed. It wasn't the only thing that he thought about when it came to her. He had imagined the way that he would kiss her for the first time. He had imagined what it would be like to hold her.

The Doctor sat up and shook his head. He put it all down to the lack of sleep. He had to. That's what he had put his obsessiveness over River down to. He just had to throw himself into the labour campaign. It was the only way he was going to get his mind off Clara Oswald. That or sleeping with her. But he had promised himself never again.

His phone lit up on the bedside table and he picked it up.

" _How's my favourite editor?"_

"Missy, you do know it is midnight."

" _And I knew that you would be wide awake. I would have thought that you would want to be the first to know about this."_

"Go on then."

" _There are going to be three live debates this time round and one of them is expected to be a seven-way one. All the parties. Milaband, Cameron, Cleggy, Farage. All of them."_

"Oh, that will be fun."

" _Your political editor might like to do a little bit on it. What they might contain and be like."_

"I will get her on to it."

The phone line cut off and bleeped to show the end of the call. He held his phone in his hand and tapped on it. Should he call her now or wait till morning?

The bad thing was he had gone back to thinking about her. He brought up her number and hovered over it. She could be asleep. She might not pick up.

But he secretly hoped that she would. He would love to hear her voice at that moment. He pressed down and brought the phone back to his ear. Even her voice mail would be nice about now. He groaned after she picked up and told him to give her a second. In that moment, he wished he never called.


	8. 20th January - 1st February

**20th January - 1st February**

 **20** **th** **January**

He picked up the piece of paper and read through it for the fifth time. If anything he loved her writing style. It flowed nicely and she could incorporate all the facts in there, sometimes in not a lot of words. But the main problem was that it wasn't what a newspaper article should be like.

He knew that she thought that he was picking on her but he didn't see it like that. He had hoped to steer her in the right direction. Get her writing to what it needed to be. The thing was, you could tell immediately that she was an English graduate. Her articles read like they were meant to be essays. It was the only problem with doing English. He knew because he had done it. Essay after essay till you had them coming out of your ears. 2,000 words to 25,000 words. It was the only part of his degree that he hated.

He was glad of the distraction when his phone rang but then he saw who it was and didn't really know if he wanted to speak to her or not.

"Missy, how can I help?" He said after knowing that he had to pick up the phone. She would just keep ringing him until he did.

" _Danny Pink."_

"Sorry?"

" _I would like your political journalist to do an interview with Danny Pink."_

"The guy that was in the army? Why?"

" _Because he is an army sergeant turned PM. I am sure your readers would like a little insider on the new guy in the Labour camp."_

"Maybe more party than camp."

" _You knew what I meant. So what do you say?"_

The Doctor sighed. He felt quite protective over her. "I don't know."

" _I am reading one of her articles right now."_

He scratched the back of his neck. "She will get better."

" _She'd better. It might drag down your paper. The only good thing about it is that it does flow nicely. I cannot believe that you have let this last for as long as it has."_

He knew why he had let her get away with it. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. He didn't want her to hate him even more than she did. "Okay she will do it."

" _I will text you the details."_

The Doctor didn't even stop her from hanging up. He scribbled some notes around the article he had in front of him. He would have to make Missy happy.

* * *

 **27** **th** **January**

The door was still slightly open from where she had made her hasty exit and his cheek stung from where she slapped him. He had to give it to her, for someone so small, she could hit incredible hard. He pushed the door closed and brought his hand up to his cheek. That didn't go to plan. He didn't even know why he thought that kissing her would be a good thing to do.

He knew that it was a bad idea to follow her in the first place but he had just read so many things about Danny Pink that he thought that he might lose her. Not that she was his in the first place. She might be his writer but they weren't anything more than employer and employee. Like the fact that she was flirting with him shouldn't have hurt him, but it did.

He groaned loudly. Why did he always do this? Why couldn't he just like someone without it being all or nothing? Why did he become obsessed with a certain person? Why did it have to be Clara Oswald?

Maybe another male political and educational writer would have been better. He should have employed someone else. He should have had interviews.

But he knew that if he did, he would still be in the same situation he was now. The thing was, even after that, he was still unsure to whether he was in love with her or just obsessed with the idea of her. If there was one thing for certain, it was going to be confusing for both of them.

* * *

 **31** **st** **January**

"What have you done now?" River said as she sat down in the chair.

"I haven't done anything wrong." He tried to say innocently.

"You forget that I know you a hell of a lot better than them out there. I am the only one still here from when you had your … obsession, am I allowed to call it, over me. I remember how it started and ended."

The Doctor leant back in his chair.

"Plus you have been in here most of the time and you haven't been barking orders like you usually do. Do you wish me to continue?"

"Oh please do." He said sarcastically.

"Clara has buried herself in her work and hasn't spoken about how infuriating you are since Tuesday."

"Ikissedher." He said as quickly as possible.

"You kissed her. Oh boy here we go again."

"You kissed me first."

"That was only because you kept giving me that look."

The Doctor licked his lips before groaning. "She started off by telling me that she couldn't put into words how much she hated me and then that she knew that I followed her. She then went on to say that something had changed between us. She mentioned the Fucker and that I was the most arrogant bastard that she had ever met, let alone work under."

"And then you kissed her."

"I don't know what I was thinking." He pointed at her. "And before you say anything, yes I know I wasn't thinking."

River leant forward. "You aren't sleeping, are you?"

"Can't remember the last time I had a full nights sleep, no."

"Talk to her Doctor, and fast. Don't make yourself ill please. It was awful last time."

He sighed heavily, reliving those moments.

"Please Doctor, go and talk to her." River said as she left.

* * *

 **1** **st** **February**

Well there was one good thing that had come out of 'talking' to Clara, he at least knew what she was like in bed now. She was curled up into his side. His hand tracing the line along her waist to her hip. The duvet was just about covering them.

"I umm … I don't usually jump into to bed with my boss."

He laughed. "I wouldn't expect that of you. But I won't deny that I haven't slept with an employee before."

Her hand started to move along his chest. He stopped breathing when she stopped moving her hand. She rose up onto her elbow and looked at where her hand had stopped. She used one finger to trace along the scar.

"I umm … I was involved in an accident." He confessed when he saw her brow crease up. "It was bad."

He could tell what question she had on the tip of her tongue and wondered if she was brave enough to ask it. She lied back down and snuggled closer to him. He didn't know whether to wait for it or not.

"Car accident." He explained in the end. "I wasn't in a good place. Insomnia gets me sometimes and when it does, it is bad. I feel asleep behind the wheel. Well I say fall asleep, it was more passed out due to exhaustion. I was the only person hurt and my car was the only car written off. I was in a bad place at that time."

"You didn't have to explain." She said in a small voice.

"I know that you want to know. You just don't want to ask. I should have died that night. Maybe part of me wanted to. I bury myself in my work. I keep trying to make the paper better. It rules my life sometimes. If it isn't the paper that the problem, it is usually because I have become obsessed with something else."

"Do you mean that? When you say that part of you wanted to die that night?"

"I wasn't thinking that night. That is when most of my mistakes happen. When I am not thinking."

"Was kissing me classed as a mistake?"

He turned to her. "Until the moment you met me halfway, yes I did."

"Do you still feel like that?"

It did take him a little while to realise that she had gone back to talking about the accident. "Maybe I have been trying to find a reason to live ever since."

"Maybe we could find it together."

And with that sentence, he was glad that he became totally and utterly obsessed with Clara Oswald.


	9. 2nd February

_Right, believe me when I say I don't want to do this but also believe me when I say I have to do this._

 _I am going to be taking a 3 week break due to my upcoming exams._

 _I didn't do as well as I hoped last term and as I am in my second year at uni, the results that I get now matter and I really want/need to do better this time around. I don't particularly want to leave you half way through this story by I have to. I hope that you guys understand._

 _I will be back posting this story on 10th May where I hope to be updating this story more regularly._

* * *

 **2nd February**

There was something that was weirdly satisfying about waking up in the Doctor's arms. She smiled widely as he walked into her kitchen in just his boxers.

"You seem to be wearing something of mine."

"I know."

"Don't get it dirty. I need to wear that today."

She rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to her elbows. "I won't."

"It umm, looks good on you."

She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling more. "I don't have much in. I was planning on going shopping after work today. Either we could get something out or we could have some toast but that is all I can offer."

"I am sure I could rustle something up."

"Feel free to look through the cupboards."

He walked over and started to look through them.

* * *

They knew that the receptionist gave them a strange look but Clara couldn't really wipe the smile off her face.

She had broken her rule of no workplace romances. Well she really wouldn't call it a romance just yet but she had just slept with her boss. It was on the same level of wrongness.

They had spoken about little things on the tube up. The main thing was that they both didn't really want anyone knowing about what happened over the weekend or in his office. Clara knew that they would have to know eventually but while they were still working it out between them, nothing.

Clara smiled at him as she dropped back in the corridor leading up to the writers room. They had very little idea how much they would read into it if they parted at it. She waited for him to pass it, calling in a quick morning, and for a few minutes more before she walked into the room, greeting everyone.

"Where were you yesterday? I tried calling you to see if you were alright but you didn't answer." Amy asked when she had sat down.

She turned to her computer to turn it on as she replied. She was a good liar but she didn't know whether Amy could see through her lies. "I was busy." Technically, it wasn't a lie. She was busy, in bed, with the Doctor when she called.

She turned back and gave her a smile.

"Doing what?" Amy said as she leant forward.

 _Having sex with the boss._ She thought. She tried to think of a better answer than that but drew a blank. "I was just busy."

She knew how suspicious that sounded. She half expected Amy to say that she might have a man in her life. There was one thing for certain, she did not want the Doctor to come in for another hour or so.

* * *

Luckily for her, he did. She had managed to distract herself from his amazing fingers with some story about headteachers that could lose their jobs under the Tories education reforms. It was an interesting story that she really got herself into. But then he had to enter the room and all her thoughts went back on his fingers. It didn't help that he tapped them against River's desk. She wasn't really listening to what they were talking about. Something about IS and the Jordan pilot.

It wasn't until he turned around, sat on the edge of River's desk and asked how the rest of the room was getting on to that she snapped out of her daze.

"Clara?" He said, looking in her direction.

Oh he was going to drive her mad by the end of the day. It took everything she had not to shiver. Sleeping with him was the worst idea in the world. Maybe she could put it down to not thinking.

"There is a story which I don't partially know how to put a good spin on it. There has been a lot of talk about Labour going into a possible coalition with the SNP. Obviously that is sort of worse case scenario if there is another hung parliament like there was last time and it looks like there might be this time as well."

She reminded herself that she was meant to breath but it was hard when she still couldn't shift the images from the day before.

"I will think about it and contact someone. See what she has to say about it. Maybe it could go in tomorrows paper."

"Yeah, that should be fine. I have … a thing that I am working on right now." She really needed him to leave right now.

"A thing? I hope it is more than a thing."

"Tory education reforms and headteachers losing their jobs, potentially."

"That sound like a good thing."

Clara just nodded. Her heart beat rose a little as he winked at her before he left the room.

"You wanted to slap him before the weekend. You called him an arrogant bastard." Amy reminded her.

"I know, I know. We … worked out our differences."

"By?"

 _Sleeping together._ Clara thought. She really needed to get her thoughts under control. "We talked. There was no more choice words but we talked it over and I know what he now expects of me. You were right. He is nothing like the rumours."

She knew that Amy wanted to ask more questions and she was grateful when she didn't.

* * *

"You know that you are quite unforgettable."

The Doctor just laughed as he sat down on her sofa. "No, no one has told me that. Is that why you were having trouble concentrating today? You made a number of spelling mistakes."

"Did I?" She was surprised by that.

"What was it that you kept remembering?"

She cleared her throat. "It didn't help when you tapped your fingers on River's desk."

He gave her a sly smile and it took everything not to go over to him and kiss it off. "Amy was asking quite a few questions. She can be a bit like that. I can totally understand if you maybe wanted to slow it down slightly. Especially if after one night, your thoughts are on my fingers."

"Maybe it would be best to slow it down. I usually like to get to know the person before I jump in bed with them. Just everything has gone against what I usually do or not want to do. I know nothing about you and your my boss."

"I have a friend that owes me a favour. I will take you out on Saturday night after we have finished work. Well you can have enough time to come back and get changed but we can do it as most people do if you want that."

"What? Like a date?"

"You can call it a date if you want. I would call it more dinner."

She grabbed her laptop and sat down on the sofa next to him. "That sounds nice. But right now I have an article on a possible Labour and SNP coalition. So if you could keep the coffee flowing, I might be able to finish it and then maybe I will test how good my memory of your fingers were."

"I will also find something to cook." He said as he got up to walk over to her kitchen.

It had only been a day since they had fallen into whatever they had, but it felt natural and not as weird as Clara would have thought it would have been. Maybe it could work between them.


	10. 7th February

_*Clicks fingers* Sorry._

 _Hey guys, I am back and raring to go._

 _Before my little break, I was updating this once a week but now as I have finished it, I will be updating this three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday). It is just something that I do._

 _So I hope you are still all with me and let's get on with this story._

* * *

 **7th February**

Realistically the hardest part of her job wasn't finishing an article but finding one worthy enough to write. Clara had the election to write about, which was always her main article, but sometimes, like she was now, she had time to write a little side column. It was just something to fill the newspaper more.

She covered her mouth as she yawn before wiping her eyes and dragging her hands down her face. Her sleep schedule was fucked. It didn't help that the days that she could either got to bed early or wake up late, she spent with the Doctor.

"What's up?" Amy asked from her desk, not taking her eyes off her computer screen.

"Just looking for something more to write as I have finished but there is nothing. Well there is nothing that I think that the readers or the Doctor would like."

"You have finished your main article?"

"I cannot fall asleep until about two in the morning now. The good and bad side of your articles coming home with you."

"Well you could go for lunch. Don't look at anything until you get back and something may pop up."

Clara looked at her screen before glancing down at her empty mug. Maybe she could go out for a little bit. She hadn't really had the chance to explore the area around the block they worked in. She had just asked someone to get her something as she tried to finish her article. It felt refreshing that she didn't have that hanging over her.

She looked down at her watch before picking up her bag and the mug. "I will be back in about an hour. If anyone needs anything, just text me."

There were a few murmurs as she left.

* * *

Clara found it refreshing to be able to choose her own sandwich for once but then again she felt spoilt for choice. She looked through the sandwiches, wraps and toasties that were displayed in front of her. She started to make her decision on price but then thought better of it. She could treat herself. She got her article finished before she had to.

She ended up picking up a mozzarella and tomato toastie before she almost walked into the Doctor.

"Don't usually see your desk empty and your article in my hand before half 11." He said as he browsed the selection in front of him.

"Well I thought I would treat myself because I had finished early." She said as she walked around him to pick up a drink.

He waited for them to pay and sit down before he said anything else. "I think there is something more to it."

Clara sighed. "I was trying to find something else but it seems like on both the political and educational side, it is a slow news day, for anything that jumps out to me as important. Amy told me to go for lunch and not look at anything, in hope that there is something when I get back."

"Tell me if you don't find anything. I am sure Missy will dig something up for you."

She finished her mouthful before replying. "Missy?"

"Yeah Missy."

"You have never mentioned her before."

The Doctor looked thoughtful. "Have I not?"

"So how many woman do I have to share you with? Firstly you have a writers room that is full of woman save for two guys and then Missy. Careful a girl could get jealous." She joked.

He chuckled. "She is just a very old friend. We meet at school and even ended up going to the same university together. She studied Politics, a more practical degree, while I studied English. She is the reason I am more Labour. She joined Young Labour. The number of times she dragged me along to a rally because she believed that she would be safer with me by her side. It was her that always got us arrested."

Clara laughed. "So nothing to worry about?"

She felt him nudge her foot with his. "Nothing to worry about."

"I better get back." She said as she stood up.

"If you are still up for it tonight, smart casual."

She was sure her eyes sparkled at the thought of him taking her out. "I will look forward to it."

She walked out of the shop, starting to panic to if she had anything that was smart causal.

* * *

Clara closed the lid of her laptop before walking over to her dressing table. Missy had found her a story and she was about halfway through writing it. She would finish it sometime tomorrow afternoon after she managed to untangle herself from the Doctor.

She smiled in the mirror as she had that thought. She knew that she had broken her rule but it felt exciting to be dating again. Her last relationship had ended badly. She had fallen hard for him and he was only going out with her to make his old girlfriend jealous. She felt so used by the end of it.

She debated with herself for a while to whether she should put her hair up or not. The Doctor seemed to always like kissing her neck so if she put it up, she hoped that it would tease him to no end. She placed it into a messy bun and finished applying her makeup as the buzzer went off.

She automatically let him in and took her phone off charge, throwing it into her bag, while she waited for him.

Her breath was caught in her throat as he leant against her door frame in a black three piece suit. He looked very smart and handsome. She looked down at what she was wearing.

"I feel underdressed." She had chosen a little black dress that she hadn't wore in ages and a blazer.

"You're not. You will be fine. You look beautiful."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "And your standing there in a suit and a waistcoat. I have something else I can put on."

He grabbed her arm as she went to go and change. He pulled her out of the door. "You will be fine. I usually overdress."

She went back in and grabbed her keys off the table by the door. "I hope you are right."


	11. 14th - 16th February

_In reply to LoveToRead2016 review. Thanks. My exams when as well as I could hope that they would. Just waiting for the results to see if I did do as well as I thought._

 _And to the guest review. I am glad that I was missed :)_

 _Anyway, on with the story now me thinks._

* * *

 **14th - 16th February**

It could have been an awful day for Clara if she didn't have her secret silver fox. She always hated Valentine's day. It was just so commercialised for her liking. The day was truthfully about how much money you could spend on each other rather than love. Maybe she was just bitter because of her bad string of relationships.

"Will you please sit at your own desk?" She heard Jack moan before she entered the room.

"Why should I?" Amy retorted back.

Clara smiled when she saw Amy sitting on Rory's lap as he worked, her arm locked around his neck.

"Because we don't all need to see it."

"Well not everyday is Valentine's day."

"That's true." Clara muttered when she reached her seat.

"Someone is a bit bitter about the celebration." Donna noted.

"I just think that it is too much about money now." She paused. "And I have never had a good Valentine's day. Either my boyfriend was being a dick or my girlfriend ignored me for the whole day and then said that she didn't realised."

"Girlfriend?" Jack turned his attention to her.

Clara shrugged. "Put me off girls really."

She couldn't help but smile when he did. The working environment that they had was nice. Everyone got along with everyone and there was a bit of batter that went on. Not when the Doctor was in the room. He is against battering.

"That's bad." Amy said as she finally left Rory alone. "Valentine's day is the only reason we are together. He plucked up the courage to ask me out."

"I am sure you will be on the pull tonight Jack. Trying to woo some lonely hearts." Rose said without looking up from her computer or losing the speed she was typing at.

He snorted. "Obviously."

Clara was too busy smiling to herself to see River looking over at her.

"So are you doing anything tonight?"

She just shrugged at her. "Don't know. Maybe."

* * *

If anything, she was glad for the distraction. She was about three quarters of her way through her article and starting to lose inspiration in what to write. She picked up her mug and noticed that it was empty. Clara sighed. It had been her fourth coffee that morning. She really needed to get out the habit of using coffee as a way to fuel her body rather than sleep.

"Clara Oswald?" The man said.

Everyone turned and looked at him. It was very rare that someone else came into the office and if they did, it was the delivery man bring stationary products for them. It was always the same man and it wasn't him.

"I got a delivery for Clara Oswald."

"Yeah me." Clara said raising her hand slightly.

He smiled at her before getting her delivery. "You're a very lucky girl." He said as he placed the flowers on her desk.

He left as quickly as he came and everyone was just looking at them.

"Someone's got an admirer." Amy teased her.

"They must have left a note." Donna said.

Clara could still feel everyone's eyes on her as she found and read the note.

 _Thought these would make your day. This is only the beginning. I will see you tonight. D._

She smiled to herself.

Everyone started to ask her who they were from but she lied to them and said that she didn't know. She just couldn't wait to see where he was going to take her.

* * *

"I know a guy who knows one of the managers." He said as they entered the lift.

"Really? So a friend of a friend?"

The Doctor nodded. "Could see it like that. He owes me a favour anyway. That's how we got a table at such late notice."

"Doctor, I would love to know where we are going before you take me out. I really feel under dressed."

He turned and looked at her. "I think you look great."

She smiled but knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to make her feel better. He had mentioned that he had overheard what she had said that morning about never having a good Valentine's day and he had made it his mission to make it one to remember. She had already told him that he had done enough but she couldn't lie and say she wasn't enjoying the attention.

The waiter showed them to their table and the Doctor pulled out her seat for her. She looked out over London as he sat down.

"He must be a great friend. A window seat in the Shard. It must be hard to get one."

"Yeah, he owes me."

They spent most of the night there. Wine flowed throughout the night and Clara realised what she had missed. The Doctor may not have been someone that she would have thought that she would end up with but this relationship wasn't like her other relationships. This actually felt like it could last.

* * *

Clara started to untangle herself from him and went to get up but was stopped when his arms circled around her hips.

"Where you going?" He said, half asleep. He placed a kiss on her lower back.

She laughed as she tried to release herself. "I have an article that I need to finish."

"Not today."

"Yes today. It is already midday. It won't take me long if I quickly do it now."

"No, get back into bed."

"I will bring my laptop back." She said as he started to pull her back.

"No." Was all he said before he kissed her.

* * *

In the end they had got up but after they got what they needed, they got back under the covers. Clara had managed to retrieve her laptop and finished the article while the Doctor feed her. She looked over at him after she had finished.

"Do you like what you see?"

She laughed before closing the lid of her laptop and placing it on the floor away from the bed. "I doubt that we would have been together this long if I didn't like what I saw."

He joined her in laughing as she tucked herself into his shoulder, resting her head next to his.

"I just realised. I never thanked you for the flowers."

"Well when they die, I will just have to buy you some more."

"This is what you have waited for isn't it? Someone who will give you the attention you need but also someone to give it back to."

He turned to her. "Never thought about it like that before. Maybe."

He kissed her and rolled her onto her back.

* * *

Clara rushed in and placed down her things.

"Wild weekend?"

She groaned slightly at the sound of the cheery voice. Maybe drinking wine for two nights on the trot wasn't the best idea.

"Could say that."

"Spill."

"Amy I need to get on." She said as she turned on her laptop just to curse when it appeared to be out of charge.

"He must have been good."

Clara sighed. "He took me the Shard for dinner and then we went back to mine and spend most of Sunday in bed."

"Clara, you're late." The Doctor said as he entered the room.

She turned to look at him and understood what he was doing. The look he gave her showed that he didn't want to do it but he didn't want to wake her this morning.

"Sorry I must have slept through my alarm or not set it."

He just huffed before turning his attention to the rest of the room.

* * *

"I should have woken you. I am sorry for this morning." He said.

"Don't worry. I know why you did it." She said as she made her coffee. "We will tell them, eventually."

He smiled and put down his mug before wrapping his arms around her. "I know but I think you are enjoying it. The secrecy of it."

She sighed. "I never thought I would be someone who would enjoy creeping around but I am. And I have only just admitted it to myself."

The Doctor let her go. "Better get back to work. Don't want you slacking now."

"Yes sir." She said, giving him a mock salute.

They both chuckled to themselves as he left her.


	12. 26th February

**26th February**

Everything was going smoothly and it worried Clara. She was waiting for something to go wrong. Her day consisted of getting herself and the Doctor to work, finish her article and send it to him, joking with her colleagues, flirt with the Doctor when she could, getting home and write some more of the article she had started while the Doctor cooked them dinner, pushing him off her so she would get some work done before falling into bed with him, usually around midnight.

It wasn't a bad routine but it wasn't the best either. But it felt nice to actually have someone for a change. Someone who would dedicate their time to her. It was just so refreshing after her last relationships. She would admit that sometimes he did try a bit too hard but even then they would just laugh it off.

"Clara?"

She turned to him out of her daydream. Maybe she should add that to the list as well.

"Sorry. You would think I would be use to the lack of sleep." She tried to laugh it off. She smiled when he gave her a smile.

"Um, Labour are apparently announcing something big today. So I would keep your updates refreshed."

"I am on it." Clara said as she turned back to her computer screen.

"Like a car bonnet?" He joked.

She groaned and cursed herself for ever using the expression in the first place. She knew that he was just trying to mess with her but she just wished she could go back in time and make sure she never said it.

He smirked at her and she really wanted to say something to wipe it off his face but she couldn't think of anything. Well all she could think about was going over there and kissing it off him but when they were meant to be keeping it a secret, she didn't think it would give the best impression.

"Russia or so called ISIS" River said.

The Doctor's smirk dropped before he turned to her. He moved his position so he still had Clara in his eye line. "Sorry?"

"Do I write about the fact that Putin's biggest rival was shot in the back or about the masked ISIS executioner being identified?"

The closer they got, the more Clara could tell what he was thinking by his body language. The heavy sigh before giving a small side smile and placing his hands on the waistband of his trousers under his jacket meant that he wanted both done but was making a decision on which one would be better.

He looked up at the clock. "ISIS executioner. Everyone else will be over it. But realistically if you could, both. I know that you are running out of time though."

When he looked around at the other writers, she knew he was going to leave them to get on. No one else needed him and he probably had other things to do.

"Would you run off and join them? If you were slightly younger."

Clara was sure that everyone looked up at her at that before looking to the Doctor. She was the only one with her eyes still on River. It seemed everyone else in the room knew what she was insinuating but she didn't have a clue.

The Doctor cleared his throat. It was a thing that he did when he got nervous. "Run off and join who?"

"The Ukrainians."

He relaxed and laughed it off. "Oh no. Once is enough for a lifetime."

The conservation confused Clara. First off, why would he want to go and join the Ukrainians in fighting? Secondly, what had he only done once? Fought?

"He was in the Falklands."

Clara shook her head and turned to River. "Sorry?" Did she hear her right?

"He fought in the Falklands in 1982." River repeated.

"The Falkland war was only in 82." Jack said.

Part of Clara wondered why he hadn't told her but then part of her realised that it wasn't a thing that you just blurt out.

"Sorry, I was just surprised by it."

River gave a small laugh that was lost to everyone. "You shouldn't be."

Clara looked over at Amy and she gave her a shrug.

* * *

"Why shouldn't I be surprised by the fact that you fought in the Falklands?" Clara asked as she rested her head on his chest.

"Bit of a weird question. Wouldn't the first be did you fight in the Falklands?" He said as he threaded his fingers through her hair. "Bit of a weird question after sex as well."

She smiled and tried to enjoy the feel of his fingers in her hair. "Just answer both questions then."

"I was an English Graduate as you know. There was little work going for someone like that. I was 24 and unemployed. One of my dad's friends was in the army and managed to get me in. I wasn't the same person then as I am now. I was reckless and Missy didn't help. The amount of fights I have got into because of that woman isn't worth knowing.

"I met with River just before I left. The reason she would say that is because of what I was like back then. I had started my obsession over her and she was trying everything to make me jealous. Once she had kissed me, I felt protective over her. I hospitalised a guy because he had tried to kiss her when she had made it obvious she wasn't interested. That's when my dad suggested the army would be good for me, show me some discipline."

"Do you feel protective over me?"

The Doctor creased his brow. "I swear you should be asking different questions."

"Just answer the ones I ask."

He kissed her hair. "Of course Clara Oswald."

She snuggled closer to him. "Good."

"Good? I hospitalised a man."

"You said you were a different person."

"But the instinct to protect you is still there. What happens if some gets too close for my liking?"

She didn't reply straight away. Her hand traced his ribs while she thought. "I think with your eyebrows, no one will come near."

"What's wrong with my eyebrows?"

She lifted up onto her elbow. "They are attack eyebrows." She said as she traced one. "You look like an owl."

He enclosed his arms around her waist and rolled her so she was on her back. "Really?"

She kissed the end of his nose. "Really."

"I have never been likened to an owl before. Other things but not an owl." He cocked his head to the side.

"Well you have now."

They smiled at each other for a while. They would be okay together. There was no need to worry about what could happen because they would make sure it wouldn't.


	13. 4th March

_Thank you all for the reviews. I am getting them through on email._

* * *

 **4th March**

Clara found her article interesting most of the time. She was probably one of the few people that knew exactly what was happening in the election. There was many things that she believed in and other she would love to argue, and sometimes did. Sometimes it was sent back to her to reword something because the Doctor thought it was too conservative.

The educational side was also interesting but sometimes frustrated her. She was still interested in becoming a teacher, whether she would or not was separate problem. It was a few things she got frustrated with it, like she was now.

She placed her head on the desk. Part of her would have loved to close her eyes for a few moments but she had to get on with her article. The more she finished now, the earlier she could drop into bed with the Doctor and the earlier she could get to sleep. She loved sleeping with his arms wrapped around her.

"Tired?"

Clara turned her head to the voice and moved her hair out of the way. Her head wasn't going to come off the desk any time soon.

"Not really. Could do with an early night. It is more in annoyance." She took her head off the desk. "I mean even in this day and age, there are still the stereotypes that there are." She turned to the screen. "Like maths and science are subjects for boys."

"Really people still think that way."

"Apparently so."

Amy leant back in her chair. "I always love science at school. It just came to the exams and then it just showed I wasn't as good at it as I thought."

"Same really. Expect for physics. The only part of physics that I enjoyed was about space and that was tiny. Chemistry was the one I enjoyed most. You just seemed to do more experiments than biology."

"Same, it was just fun to try and make things explode."

Clara laughed loudly. "I remember this one time, I was doing an experiment with some friends and someone had accidentally picked up the wrong chemical and it reacted really well. So much so the whole school had to be evacuated and the fire brigade was called. I think we even had the rest of the day off due to the fumes."

"I never did anything like that."

Amy looked over at Clara and they started to giggle again. It took them a while to stop and even then they could look at each other without laughing again.

The Doctor walked in as they snorted and fell back into heavy laughter. He raised his eyebrows at them before turning to the rest of the room, wondering if they knew what go into them.

"I see you two are having fun. Care to let us in on the joke." He said when they started to calm down.

Amy turned back to her computer. "I don't actually know any more."

Clara wiped her eyes. She hadn't had a good laugh like that for a while and nodded when the Doctor looked at her, agreeing with what Amy had said.

She knew that he was going to ask her more about it later by the look he was giving her. He clapped his hands together.

"Right, umm, Clara have you see about what happened in the Commons today?"

"Not just yet. It was the very next thing on my list after I have finished this article."

"Well just to give you a quick round up, Miliband called Cameron chicken for not doing the 7 way TV debate."

"Cowardly Cameron." Clara said, thinking out loud.

He smiled widely at her.

"Like it then?" She flirted slightly.

"You know me Clara Oswald. I always love your headlines." He said as he left the room.

She wanted to groan at the way he said her name. He always made it sound like it belonged to a goddess or something along those lines. It always sounded more elegant in his Scottish burr. Just his accent was going to be the death of her.

* * *

It was very rare that she left with anybody else than the Doctor. He had been invited out with Missy and told her that she would see him tomorrow. He had also told her that he almost declined it because of her. Clara had told him that they didn't need to be with each other all the time. Although she had got used to sleeping next to him.

But Clara did see an upside to it. She could get her article finished tonight without any distractions and may get to bed earlier. It wasn't a bad thing to have some space. It had been a bit full on even though they were trying to keep it a secret.

She smiled at the mere thought of him.

"Which way do you go out of here?"

Clara turned to River and hesitated.

The older woman laughed and pressed the button for the lift to go down. "Which station are you going to?"

"Oh, St Paul's." She said as they walked into the lift.

"I had hoped that you were going to Temple. I wanted to get to know the Doctor's new …, will have to use the word he does, obsession. Don't look so shocked. I know the Doctor better than all the people put in that room together. I know when he is acting like a lovesick puppy and boy, does he act like one around you."

Clara was sure that she was standing there with her mouth opened slightly and her eyes had 'inflated', a word the Doctor liked to use, so she turned away and looked at the door of the lift, trying to get her cool back on.

"Does he?"

"Clara, don't play the fool with me. I know that there is something between you."

"Has he ..."

"He never tells me anything before you ask." She interrupted. "As you will probably learn or have already, he talks more with his body than his mouth. Now your first month, he was always nervous as hell to come into the room because of his ..." She waved her hand around thinking of the right words. "… growing feelings for you. He is a man of obsessions and the newspaper will always be his longest obsession but he is still a man. Anyway, now he is more confident now."

The lift pinged as it stopped and the doors opened.

"I never noticed." She said as they exited the lift.

River rubbed Clara's arm. "Don't feel too bad about not seeing it. As I have said, I know him better than everyone in that room. Anyway, I am probably the reason you are together in the first place."

Clara allowed the door to close behind River as she walked off to get her train. She was sure she was all eyes again. What the hell did she mean by that?


	14. 13th March

_Thanks for the reviews. They do make my day._

* * *

 **13th March**

She wouldn't admit that it bugged her, but River's words had plagued her thoughts since they fell out of her mouth. Clara couldn't stop thinking about what she meant by them. Did she push them together? Did she make the Doctor go round and see her?

It wouldn't have been fine if she had seen the Doctor to ask him but other than work, they hadn't had a chance to see each other. Missy had taken up his free time to help with the Labour campaign and it was evitable that he was missing her as much as she was missing him.

She smiled to herself as she heard his footsteps come towards the room. Everyone was dead silent as they tried to get their articles finished.

"How is everyone getting on?" He said, sleepily.

Clara looked up at him and saw him drag his hand down his face. She had never seen him look so tired.

"Clara?"

She shook her head, realising she must have zoned out for a moment.

"Are you alright?"

She gave him a sad smile. "Yeah, just a little tired."

"You should try and sleep when you should. It is only going to get busier." He reflected her mood well.

"I know." She gave a series of little nods.

He spun around in the middle of the room, just checking that everyone was okay before sneaking off back to his office.

"He hasn't been himself." Amy noted.

"Before you ask, no I don't know." River said. "I do not know every aspect of his life any more."

"Yes but you must have an idea to why he has been like this all week." Martha commented. "You do know him best."

River sighed and looked up at Clara. "I did hear that he was dating again. You know the Doctor, he gives everything and expects nothing back."

"Maybe he hasn't seen her in a while." Rory suggested with a shrug.

"I remember how you were." Jack said and Rory groaned. "Every time Amy was off sick, you were like a loss puppy. Well that was before you started dating and got married."

The office burst into laughter but Clara only gave a small smile. She would love to have known them all for longer. They seemed like a great group of people and she was glad that she was a part of it now but she just felt like she had missed so much.

"Hey, are you sure you are alright Clara? You haven't been yourself either."

She tired not to tease up at her question. Were they onto them? Did they know?

"I am just tired. I haven't really stopped since Monday."

Clara was glad that nothing more was said and relaxed as she went back to her article.

* * *

She tired to type as fast as she could. She knew that she was making loads of mistakes but the sooner she finished the better. The Doctor was driving her crazy by kissing and sucking her neck. He held her as close to his body as he could and was also starting to stroke her sides.

"How much longer are you doing to be?" His lips hadn't left her neck.

"Well it might help if I didn't have someone attached to me." She stopped typing and put her hands on his when he started to draw back from her. "Not that I am minding. I like you in this mood. Though I feel like everyone might be onto us. They have all noticed our change of mood as well."

The Doctor chuckled in her ear. "Well Amy thinks she is onto something now. Once she gets an idea she will not rest until she is proved right."

"So out of everyone, she will be the first to find out?"

"Unless we tell them."

Clara sighed as she returned to her article. She kinda liked the secrecy of their relationship. Obviously not so much when they couldn't see each other outside of work hours but it made this relationship different. It made it more personal.

* * *

She used her fingers to try and tame his hair. He had let it grow longer and she liked it. He had already mentioned that he was going to get it cut soon. Maybe she could persuade to not cut it all off. He had his head resting on her stomach and somehow she never wanted this to end.

But then again, she had to spoil the mood.

"Maybe this would be easier if I moved. If we were at different newspapers."

The Doctor slowly lifted his head and looked up at her. "How would it be easier?"

"We … we wouldn't be sneaking around all the time. There would be better boundaries to our work life and our private life."

"Would it though? Think about it Clara. We changed because we hadn't seen each other for a week. I can survive on just seeing you everyday." He brought himself up to be face to face with her. "This is just another perk of it." He bent down and kissed her. "Please never mention moving again." He whispered on her lips.

Clara hadn't really realised how dependant he was on her. Her mind flicked back to what River had said about his obsessions. He was really all or nothing.

"Sorry, it was just something River had said to me that got me thinking that way. She told me that she was probably the reason we got together in the first place. I think I am over analysing it but I don't understand what she meant by them."

He dropped next to her on the mattress. "She … She just knows when I am being an idiot. She has always been able to see through me. She came into my office and said that I was acting strange and you were acting strange. She would have got it out of me eventually. She was the one to tell me to talk to you." The Doctor looked at her. "I wouldn't say that she was the reason we got together but she definitely quicken the process. I was perfectly fine about losing sleep over you. She didn't want it to get to the extent it did last time."

Clara rolled over to look at him. "So I was over analysing it."

He chuckled. "Isn't that what you girls do though? Always over think and complicate things."

She joined him in laughing. "Yeah, I suppose it is."

He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. She placed her forehead against his chest. It was weird about how safe she felt in his arms.


	15. 24th March and 27th March

_This chapter marks the halfway point in this story._

 _Thank you for the reviews_

* * *

 **24th March and 27th March**

 **24th March**

Clara was just waiting for the questions. It had been over a week since the whole office had picked up on her and the Doctor's mood. It bugged her so much that she had started mental answering any questions that they may ask. The worst part was when she thought that a conversation may turn that way.

The chat in the office had turned to people's other halves and Clara remained quiet as she tried to work on her article. Cameron had just ruled out a third term as Prime Minster and she was trying to put a labour-favouring spin on it. Trying to find anything that others had said.

But everyone had made him seem like a good guy. It was frustrating and she wished that the Doctor would walk in at that moment to ask for his take on it.

"So, this mystery man?"

Clara stopped biting the skin around her thumb and turned to Amy. "What about him?"

"Still seeing him?" She asked with a smile.

"Yeah."

"Know what he looks like?"

"What sort of a question is that?"

Amy shrugged. "Dunno, maybe you are using one of those dating apps."

"I have had dinner with him. You know that. He spent the weekend at my flat over Valentine's."

"So how long have you been going out? Obviously before Valentine's."

Clara had no idea how to answer that question. Either she could come to the conclusion that she was dating the Doctor or she could think that she was dating Danny Pink. She didn't know which was worse.

"Come on Clara. It is just a simple question."

"I can't remember exactly how long." It was kinda true. When did her and the Doctor's relationship start?

"There is no need to be so defensive about it. You do know that we will have to meet him to approve."

A retort was on the tip of her tongue. She opened her mouth to tell her that they already knew him but was stopped by that man walking into the room. Talk about speak of the devil and he shall appear. She had never been so happy to see him.

"Everyone alright?"

Clara used the distraction to keep the Doctor in the room. She needed his help anyway. "How the hell do I put a bad spin on Cameron looking like a good guy?"

* * *

 **27th March**

"Clara, just a thought, but would it be so bad if they found out."

She bit her lip at his question and looked up into the mirror to see him still in bed. It was a question she had asked herself a number of times before and realistically couldn't come up with a good answer.

"Because … it feels like a dream. I am expecting to wake up any second. You know I haven't had the best record when it comes to relationships. I don't want everyone to know and then it go sour. I don't want the pitiful looks and the guilt that they would put on me for breaking your heart." She looked down into her lap.

"Why do you think it will go wrong?"

"Because it just does for me."

"Oh Clara Oswald."

She really believed it as well. The moment she found out that her mum had died, her world started to fall apart and she was trying her hardest to keep it together. She treasured every happy moment and experience because she was waiting for it to go bad.

The moment she felt his arms pull her towards his chest, she knew that she had started to cry.

* * *

Clara felt guilty for that morning. Of course it wouldn't hurt for them to know. It was just hard for her to let people in and to wear her heart on her sleeve. She had realised that neither her or the Doctor had used the L word and she wasn't really prepared to use it just yet. She was attracted to him and enjoyed the time that they spent together but she wouldn't call it love just yet.

Amy's gasp scared her.

"What's up?" Clara asked.

"Who did you go to that interview with?"

"Umm, Danny Pink."

Amy turned back to her computer and started to type.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I have been thinking. You haven't been the same since that interview. I mean the rest of the week, you were in a really weird mood. Then Monday you were fine. Something happened that day. Are you going out with him?"

Clara was actually speechless. Amy was onto them. She was going to find out. She did started to panic. She could have said that she was.

Amy winked at her. "I told you I would find out."

She knew she should feel guilty for letting her think that but it just felt better than if she knew the truth. She needed to get over the fact that people will find out and that it might not go wrong. But maybe it was the control. She had been called a control freak in the past. Maybe that is why she wanted to keep it a secret.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Donna sang.

Clara was sure she winced.

"Her behaviour did change then but it would be someone else rather than Danny Pink." She clicked on her mouse before turning her her computer screen. "He was at this event a few days ago. I reported on it. Now he seemed pretty friendly with this girl."

Amy slumped back in her chair. "I was sure I was right."

Clara allowed herself to giggle. "He wasn't really my type anyway."

"Then why did you let me think I was right."

"I was shocked that you would think he was my type." Clara said as the Doctor walked in.

"Bit of a weird conversation when I am sure you all have articles to finish."

Amy gave Clara a smile before turning to the Doctor. "Looking at Clara, who do you think is her type?"

The Doctor creased his brow in confusion. He gave a quick sidewards glance to Clara before looking back.

"Just maybe we could introduce her to John."

Clara watched as the Doctor as he gave a smirk. She had realised that the said it when he was going to say something he didn't want to.

"Maybe you should ask Clara." He said, nodding his head towards her.


	16. 30th March

_Thank you for the reviews._

* * *

 **30th March**

Clara picked up her mug and walked to the kitchenette. She was in dire need of a coffee or a tea or just a hot drink. Anything that would keep her awake and motivated. The campaign for 10 Downing Street had started and she had to be on it. From this point, every single detail had to be reported precisely. She didn't want Missy to start doubting her ability again.

She was faced with an out of order sign over the coffee machine and no kettle in sight. She turned around in the kitchenette for a bit before stopping. What was she meant to do now? How was she meant to do her job without 20 cups of tea and coffee a day?

That might have been an exaggeration but she really couldn't cope without it at the moment. It had become bad. She turned back towards the writers room.

"Does anyone know where the kettle has disappeared to?" She asked when she reached the door.

"I bet those bastards upstairs have stolen it again." Jack said.

"Could we ask for it back. Just the coffee machine is out of order and I really need a drink."

"Good luck with that." Rose snorted.

Clara walked to her desk and put her mug down and took her purse out of her bag. "Right does anyone want a coffee or a hot drink of some description?" She took out her little notebook and started to jot down everyone's orders.

She turned to walk out of the room and almost walked into the Doctor as he went to enter.

"Coffee machine is broken. I am just going down to get them from somewhere, haven't decided yet. You want one." Clara asked. _Keep it cool Oswald_. She thought.

"Latte with a lot of sugar."

"I will try and bring as much sugar back as I can without wiping out the shop."

The Doctor dug his hand into his pocket.

"No don't worry. This is my treat." She said as he handed her his card.

"Don't be stupid. It should come out of your account because something in the office is broken."

She turned to leave without taking the card.

"Take the card Clara."

She reluctantly took the card. She really didn't want him to pay for it. It was one of the things that she was starting to hate about him. He just wouldn't let her pay for anything. She liked to be independent with her money. So it was alright when he brought her things on occasions but it was almost becoming all the damn time.

He told her the PIN before she left.

* * *

She gave out the coffee's to the others in the writer's room before taking the Doctor's and a handful of sugar to his office. She had thought about what she was going to say about the fact that he wouldn't allow her to pay for them. She realised that he might have done that to anyone in that room but it still infuriated her.

She knocked on his door and entered.

"Please don't do that again." Clara said as she entered the room.

"Do what?" He innocently said.

She placed his coffee on his desk with the sugar next to it and got his card out of her pocket. "Say you will pay for things when I am happy to."

He rose out of his chair and gave her a kiss. "As I said, you should have to suffer financial because the office temporarily cannot supply."

"We are at work." She flirted.

He walked around his desk and pulled her into his arms. Her arms automatically came around his neck and her fingers started to play with the hairs at the back of his neck.

"We are in my office."

"I am still mad at you." She said as he dipped in for another kiss.

"I like it when you are mad at me."

They should have heard the footsteps come down the hall but were so wrapped up in each other, the first sign they had that someone was going to come into the room was the sound of the door scrapping along the carpet.

Clara let go of the Doctor but it was too late. Their secret relationship wasn't such a secret any more. She pulled Amy further into the room and closed the door behind her.

Amy started to point to them. "You." She pointed at Clara. "And you." She pointed at the Doctor. "Really? Really?"

"We thought you were onto us." Clara said. The Doctor gave her a look. "I thought you were onto us."

Amy opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to work out what to say. "I never expected this." She turned her back to the Doctor. "Really? The Doctor is your type." She turned back to her boss. "Not that you aren't handsome or anything."

"Don't worry. No offence was taken."

"Yeah." Clara rubbed the back of her neck. "I never really had a thing for pretty young men."

"How long were you going to keep this a secret? Who's idea was it to keep it a secret?"

"Mine and until I was sure it wasn't going to ..." Clara started. She looked at the Doctor. He knew her fears. "This isn't the way that I wanted you to find out. Please don't tell anyone."

"Don't tell anyone? Clara this is one of the most exciting things that has happened in this place."

"You and Rory getting together was quite exciting." The Doctor injected into the conversation.

"Yes but I was at the centre of that."

"I don't want to be the centre of anything." Clara said. "Look, I would actually love everyone to know but I have loved the secrecy of it all. It just being me and the Doctor."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her and she knew that all he was thinking was control freak. "I suppose it has been nice not having everyone jib at it."

Amy turned to Clara. "You will have to tell me everything though. From the beginning."

Clara wondered how long she could put Amy off for.


	17. 3rd April

_Right so Amy now knows but what does she think of it all._

* * *

 **3rd April**

Maybe she underestimated what it was like to be stressed. It was the day after the 7-way TV debate and somehow Missy had managed to get hold of her number and was texting her what she should write about. Clara really wanted to tell her to get lost. She didn't understand how she could try and have so much control in a newspaper. But then again, it was a Labour paper because of her.

The Doctor walked in as Clara phone buzzed.

"Did you give Missy my number?" She said, looking up at him.

"No."

"She somehow has got my number and has been texting me all morning. I am so close to saying something I probably shouldn't to her."

"I will call her."

"Please do. I feel under enough pressure without her piling it on by telling me what I should do."

"I will call her." He repeated calmly.

Clara placed down her phone and looked at the time. She had two hours to complete two articles that she was halfway through and, according to Missy, to start another one on what the debate did to the polls. She stared at the clock as the second hand moved. She really needed to get writing.

"Come on Oswald. You can do this." She muttered to herself.

"Doctor, I think you have broken Clara." Amy said.

"You must remember what John was like at the 2010 election. He cracked a lot sooner than Clara has. He cracked before the start of the campaign."

"Well I think she in need of a drink or two."

Clara flicked her eyes over to Amy and got what she meant immediately. She wanted to know everything about her and the Doctor. To be fair, she had waited a few days and hadn't pounced questions on her when they were alone in the kitchenette.

The room quickly filled with apologises. Everyone else seemed to have places for later. Save for Jack and Rory but Clara was sure Amy could do something about that.

* * *

"Right I am off." Clara said as she grabbed her phone off the table.

"Have fun. Please don't stress about your article. I will have a look through it and try and help you out."

"Is that a privilege of sleeping with the boss?" She rose up onto her tiptoes and gave him a peck on his lips. "Don't look so worried. I am not going to tell her everything like she wants." She smirked up at him. "Some things should remain between us."

"Is that my clever fingers?" He said, giving her a more passionate kiss.

"Don't do that." She whinnied as she pulled herself away from him. "You will ruin my lipstick."

"There are many times I have want to smudge your lipstick at work and then send you back to the writers room." He sighed contently. "I … have quite a few fantasises about you at work."

"Really?"

He chuckled. "It is bad. It just reminds me how much of a dirty old man I am."

She gave him another quick kiss. "Well you are just like every other man I know. I will see you later."

"Have a good time." He shouted after her as she reached the door.

* * *

As expected, Amy had managed to get Rory to stay at home and Jack had gone on the pull as soon as he realised that he was going to be the only guy there. They had ordered their drinks and sat down before anything was said.

"So have you blown the Doctor off for me?"

"He is currently back at my flat, more than likely reading through my article to help me out slightly. So I could go out with you."

"Perks of being with the boss."

"No, downside of having the most important column in the paper at the moment."

"So tell me everything. And I want everything. From the moment you found out that you found him attractive to the moment I caught you in his office."

"The week of the interview with Danny. I mean on that Friday, 23rd, I felt like something had changed. It was the week he started calling me Clara. I just thought that some thing was different but never really expected that he fancied me or anything. I had brushed away any thoughts away that I fancied him. But then came the day of the interview and he followed me to it and after I called him the most arrogant bastard I had worked for, he kissed me and then I slapped him. He came round my flat on the Sunday and then the rest is really history."

"Christ, he kissed you." Amy said, surprised. "I would have thought it would have to be the other way round. He just doesn't seem like the type that would just go around and kiss people. And I know he has been called worst that an arrogant bastard. He was known as the Fucker than the Doctor for a while. I never understood why."

"I may have mentioned that as well."

They fell into a silence and Clara wanted it to end but had little idea of what to say.

"So do you love him?" Amy asked.

Clara hesitated.

"Well either you do or you don't."

"It's not that. I just … wouldn't use that word so soon."

"Is that why you want to keep it a secret?"

"I am a control freak and since my mum died, I have been trying to control every aspect of my life. My love life is the only thing I have never been able to have total control over and it has ended so badly for me so many times that I didn't want you lot to find out and then it went wrong and I was hated by everyone for breaking his heart."

"Wow."

"You are the second person I have admitted that to. The first time I felt so pathetic afterwards. The Doctor asked why you guys couldn't know. I ended up crying."

"I can't imagine him being the easiest person to go out with."

"I am still trying to work him out really. I know that I am just seen as one of his obsessions. I think that it will take both of us a bit of a while to total open up."

"River had mentioned a number of times that she never understood him and it was one of the reasons their relationship broke down. I mean they are still friends."

"She urged him to talk to me after the kiss. Oh my stars, Amy, to answer you question, yes I am. I am just too scared to say it."

"Would you say it if he said it?"

Clara shrugged. It was all weird and new and … exciting. Maybe she would say it one day but maybe she would never have to say it. Maybe he already knew.


	18. 9th April and 11th April

_Thank you for the reviews._

* * *

 **9th April and 11th April**

 **9** **th** **April**

It was actually quite amusing seeing the Doctor so happy. Labour were ahead of the Tories and it had put him into a great mood. He tapped his fingers on the desk as he listened to Rory explain something and asking for advice.

Clara smiled as he carried on his childish act. It was actually quite distracting but then again she was getting used to his weird behaviour.

"Oh, we should all go out this weekend." Jack said.

"You went out last week." Martha said.

"There was only three of us. When I said that we should all go out, I meant everyone in this room right now. I thought I would ask now before you all say that you are busy."

There was nods in agreement at the suggestion and Clara looked at Amy before nodding as well.

"Maybe Clara could bring her fella for us to meet."

"That would be a bit difficult." She said, her eyes quickly flicking to the Doctor. "He is away on a business trip."

"Shame."

"We could invite John." Amy almost shouted.

"Yes, that's a brilliant idea. I would love to know how he is getting on."

The Doctor pulled a face at Clara before trying to sneak out of the room before he was asked.

"Hey Doc, you should join us too."

"I don't think that would be a good idea." He said as he turned back to the room.

"Why?" River asked.

The Doctor hesitated for a while before looking up at Clara. He would have to find his own way out of that one if he didn't want to come.

* * *

 **11** **th** **April**

"How the hell are we going to explain arriving together?"

"We met on the tube. We arrived at the door at the same time. I don't know."

"Go with the first one."

"Doctor, it will be fine."

He huffed as they waited in line to the night club. "I am way too old to be doing this sort of thing."

"There are always creepy old men in clubs. You will fit right in." She joked.

"Oh really?"

Clara laughed as she looked up at him. Her hand patted his chest before smoothing it down. "Don't worry. We will keep you young."

"Do I need to be kept young?"

"Actually now thinking about it, I prefer my men a little older."

"Do you now?"

"Well I wouldn't be with you if I didn't."

The Doctor allowed himself to smirk at her answer.

* * *

"John, Clara. Clara, John." Amy said as she introduced her to John.

Clara smiled at John.

"I have heard a lot about you." He shouted over the music.

"Like wise."

She took a few moments to take him in. He was quite handsome but really not what she was looking for in a potential boyfriend. From now she was going to stick to older men, hopefully she could keep the one she had at the moment.

"Been wanting to meet the person who took over my position. Hope you are keeping up with the election."

"Just about so far. We will see by the end though."

"I am sure the Doctor will help you out when he can."

Clara looked over her shoulder at the Doctor. "I know he will."

* * *

They were all up dancing expect for the Doctor. He had managed to be the only one to not get dragged away from the bar by Jack. Clara kept her eye on him and whispered to John that she was just going to get herself a drink before managing to get to the bar.

"Come on, you are starting to look like one of those creepy old men I was on about earlier."

"I don't dance."

"It isn't really dancing any more, is it? It is just bobbing along to the music."

"I don't dance." The Doctor insisted.

"Well, you can buy me a drink instead."

"I thought that you didn't like me buying you stuff."

"I paid for one round. Here is your round. It is just me so it will be cheap."

"Not at these fucking prices it won't be."

"The pleasures of going out in London on a Saturday night."

The Doctor smiled at her before turning around to get the barman's attention. He placed his arm around Clara and brought her closer to him as some drunk fell towards the bar. He glared at the man as he got served first.

She allowed herself to get lost in the few moments that she was in his embrace. He quickly let her got when the man next to her had rejoined the dance floor.

"I probably shouldn't have done that."

"We have excuses now to be a bit closer. Blame it on the alcohol."

"With River about, I cannot blame the alcohol. She knows my limit is high."

"But River knows we are together." She said as she moved back into his personal space, rising on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "Stop looking so jealous."

"I can't help it when chin boy is about. He has always seemed like a bit of a womaniser to me." He said back, using more of a normal voice than shouting.

"I am with the man I want to be with all night."

"Can I help you sir?" The bartender said. The Doctor quickly ordered their drinks before he said anything more to Clara.

"Then why have you been out there dancing?"

"Because it is fun. Maybe you should try it some time."

"We could be having a quiet night in."

"No we wouldn't. My neighbours have complained again about the noise."

"Have you told them to invest in earplugs? That will stop the noise."

Clara snorted. "Maybe I should."

They were close. So close that it wouldn't take much for her to steal a kiss from him. Maybe to do more than steal a kiss. She wanted to kiss him like everyone else was doing. For some reason in that moment, she didn't care who knew or what could go wrong. She just wanted him.

She turned from him and took a sip of her drink. She would later blame it on the alcohol but she couldn't help but feel safe with his arm around her waist and the distinct smell of whiskey on his breath. She would have preferred to have stayed like that for the rest of the night. They would have found something to talk about and maybe even find away to sneak off and go home.

"Come on, don't stay with this spoil sport. It is his loss." Jack said as he grabbed onto her arm.

Clara gave him a small smile as she picked up her drink and was dragged back to the dance floor. They could have their moment later.


	19. 13th April

**13th April**

"You liked him didn't you?"

"He is a nice guy."

"I think you would make a great couple."

"Jack, I liked him but not like that. I have someone anyway."

"I would like to call bullshit on that though." He said as they entered the writer's room. "You were flirting with him most of the night. Now someone who has someone doesn't flirt with another man."

"I flirt with everybody."

Clara would admit that she did flirt with John but it was only to see the reaction that the Doctor would give. It was amusing see him fidget about as she leant into to talk into John's ear. The sex afterwards was amazing. He made sure that she, and anyone else for that matter, knew that she belonged to someone. She had to dress smart that morning to make sure that the hickeys weren't visible.

"I flirted with you when I started."

"That was different. I didn't know if you were single then or not."

"Anyway he isn't my type. He just seemed to childish for my liking. The only thing is, boy could he pull off a bowtie."

"I will tell him that." Amy said.

"So what is your type then? We know people who aren't. So what is your boyfriend like?"

Clara sighed as she felt everyone look at her. She knew that this conversation was on the way.

"Tall, but then again with my height that wouldn't be hard. But I mean about 6 foot." She ran her hand through her hair, wondering how much she could give away. "Age isn't everything but slightly older the better really. I am not really picky but I know what I like."

"Not picky. I am sure John is the one for her." Jack commented.

Clara rolled her eyes before giving a smile to Amy. She turned to her computer to get on.

* * *

"I'm disappointed."

"Why?" Clara said, giving him a smile.

The Doctor undone the top button of her shirt and pulled it open slightly. "I had hoped you would show them off. I told a lot of time on them."

"I don't think turning up to work with hickeys all over my neck and shoulders is the right … is the way that I want to present myself. I am a professional now."

"Really?" He said, stepping closer to her. "I thought you were a graduate."

"Well, I think I have had a good enough teacher to call myself a professional now."

"What? This tall, dark stranger. I would love to met him."

Clara pushed him as she laughed. "Do you always listen into our conversations?"

"Just so I know what I can tease you with later."

She smiled up at him. She was still trying to get over her thoughts when they were out. She couldn't blame the alcohol because she was having the same thoughts now. She did feel safe with him and she was still trying not to attach the L word to their relationship but the more she thought about it, the more it was heading that way and it did scare her.

"You know what. We should really give your neighbours something to complain about."

"I don't want to be thrown out."

"The amount you must be paying for that place, I doubt they would throw you out. Anyway I will just give them my attack eyebrows, as you call them."

"Okay then, how do you expect us to do that then?"

The Doctor leant forward and whispered it into her ear. She could imagine all the things he was saying and wished that she could just pull him into a room and complete his plan there.

Clara saw Amy and Rory walk out the writer's room before Amy turned to Rory and pushed him back into the room.

"I better get on." Clara said.

The Doctor looked behind him before agreeing with her.

* * *

Clara tried to concentrate on her article but she was thinking about what the Doctor told her earlier and she just wanted time to go quicker. She wanted to be in her bed, shouting his name in pure pleasure. That was another thing that seemed so much better than her other relationships. Either the Doctor had learnt a few things over the years or they were just really bad.

A window came up on her computer and she clicked it to see an email from Amy.

 _What the hell were you two playing at earlier? You are lucky that Rory is so oblivious to things. You really want to be caught don't you?_

Her eyes flicked over to Amy and she gave her a look. She sighed, knowing she wanted so sort of reply.

 _Sorry and thank you. No we don't want to be caught. Well I still don't want us to be caught but we have done it many times before without being seen before._

She managed to write a few more lines of her article before she got a reply.

 _Jack is getting suspicious. Once he finds out, everyone will know. Wait, all the times you go and make a cup of tea and come back like 20 mins later is because you were with him. God, what can you two do in 20 mins? :P_

Clara wrote a little more of her article before she replied. It gave her time to process and thing of something to write.

 _I could probably guess that with Jack. We don't do anything other than flirt before you start thinking down that route. All that stays for after work._

She saw Amy smile and knew that she was going to regret saying something. She managed to get her article finished and started to research her next one when Amy replied.

 _Now that was something I never asked about, how is the Doctor in bed? Given his age he is either great or really old fashioned when it comes to it._

It was one of the things that she hoped never to share but it wouldn't be bad to tell her that he was brilliant.

 _Scrap my last email. By the way that you are sometimes distracted when he comes into the room shows that he must be amazing. Not that I have seen him in that light._

Clara snorted as she tired to hold in her laughter. She felt a few people look up at her but she just shook her head and got back on with her article.

 _Well lets just say, my neighbours have complained a few times about the noise. ;)_

 _Now that was too much information._


	20. 7th - 8th May

_Okay this is quite a long chapter but this is the night of the results of the election. I have tried not to make it all about that but certain names and things that happened over the night has been included._

 _Thank you for the reviews._

* * *

 **7th - 8th May**

"Clara, what are you doing tonight?"

She looked up at the Doctor and didn't know if it was a trick question or not.

"Sitting at home, watching the results come in until I fall asleep on the sofa." She replied apprehensively.

He chuckled. "Well, you don't have to do it from your home if you want. Missy has invited you to Labour HQ if you want to watch it live from there."

She knew that he had already been invited but she was unsure to why the invitation had been extended to her as well.

"It would be a once in a lifetime opportunity and she is dying to meet my new political writer."

Clara sighed. She supposed that she was going.

* * *

"I could have done this at home."

The Doctor placed his hands into his pockets. "I know but telling Missy no isn't really the thing you do. Anyway she has demanded to meet the girl that has 'melted my icy heart'. Her words, not mine."

"Your icy heart? Oh is that why you have been known as the Fucker then?"

"Probably. I try not to listen to the rumours about me."

Clara placed her arm through his. "So, what do you think the outcome of tonight will be?"

"I have a good feeling." He said as he turned to look at her. "I think that the Tories have fucked up enough as part of the coalition that Labour will win. Even if Miliband is an idiot."

"They are predicting another hung parliament."

"Well the polls are never right."

They walked through the halls of Labour HQ and quickly came to where they would be watching it. The Doctor smiled at the woman that approached them and kissed her cheek.

"So glad you could come." She said as she smiled at at him.

Clara didn't know why but she felt slightly jealous. She had to remind herself that Missy was a long time friend but it didn't help.

"Clara, this is Missy." He said, introducing her. "Missy, this is Clara, my … girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend." Clara agreed with him. It was the first time that he had introduced her to anyone and it just felt right at that point for him to call her his girlfriend. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Look at you. Getting in there with a pretty young thing. I would like to know what you did so right." Missy said before walking off.

As first impressions go, Missy didn't give off the best one. Clara didn't really know what to make of her.

* * *

The Doctor introduced her to a few more friends in the party and spent a little time talking to them, off the record of course. Clara made sure that she said that once they found out she was a journalist. They all seemed happy that she worked for Gallifrey. It seemed like the paper was well regarded among the politicians as well as the public.

It was a little after half past midnight when the first results came in. Everyone was looking up at the one TV in the room, hoping for the best result possible.

Literally everyone cheered as the first three seats when to Labour. Clara laughed, it was as if they had won the election. She knew that they had along night ahead of them yet.

"That's what we needed. This is going to be the beginning of a great night."

"It is only three seats."

"So, we won them."

She smiled widely up at him. "You are like a kid at Christmas."

"This is my Christmas."

She wrapped her arms around him and leant her head on his shoulder. "Let's make a deal now. If Labour win, we will find a number of ways to celebrate. But if the Tories win, I will try my hardest to help you over it."

"Oh Clara Oswald, I think you might be the one."

Her heart leapt at that. Maybe it was the closest to I love you she was going to get off him but it felt special.

"Why do you say that then?"

"No girl has ever offered me that. River told me just to get over it when we were together. I was so upset. Thatcher had just got in for the third time."

Clara just laughed at him. It was love, she had decided that.

* * *

She couldn't remember falling asleep but she woke up to find her head resting against the Doctor's shoulder, his arm around her and his jacket lying over her.

He was cursing under his breath.

"What happened? Did I miss anything important?" She asked sleepily.

"The fucking SNP have taken their first fucking seat off Labour."

"Really?"

"The first fucking Scottish seat goes to them fucking idiot."

"Labour may need those fucking idiots."

"It would help if they didn't take our fucking seats."

* * *

Clara didn't hide her smile as the Doctor went off on one when the SNP won another seat from Labour. It was quite amusing seeing him so wound up. Maybe that was why he was known as the Fucker.

Missy sat next to her on the floor. "We do have chairs you know."

"I find the floor comfortable for some reason. Don't know why."

They watched the Doctor for a moment.

"Is he always like this? I mean during an election." Clara asked her.

"Not for the past few years. You have brought some good out of him, lass. I want to know your secret."

She smiled. "I don't know what I have done though." She tried to stifle a yawn at that point.

"Gets some sleep lass." Missy said as she got up.

She still didn't know what to make of her but she was slightly growing on her.

* * *

It was a little before half 4 in the morning when the Doctor woke her up. He was all giddy.

"We have won our first Scottish seat." He gave her a quick kiss.

Clara was still waking up and looked up at the TV screen. "Scotland is looking pretty yellow. How are Labour doing?"

"We are leading."

The mood of the room had rose with that win. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was Labour's night and they would find.

"That twat is back." Someone shouted.

They turned back to the screen to hear Alex Salmond's acceptance speech, especially the part about the Scottish lion. The Doctor told him to fuck off.

She hadn't heard him swear so much but she put it down to being an emotional night. Clara took the time to see more about the results of the night. She felt wide awake now but knew that she would feel it later.

She groaned to herself. She had to report all of this. She took out her phone and took some paper from the printer and stole a pen off a desk. She started to write down what she would write about. Her plan was to write one article more like an overview while writing another about who had won.

It didn't take long for the Doctor to try and distract her.

"I need to start making notes."

"No you don't." He tried to take the pen out of her hand.

"When we get into work I am going to have only a few hours to write two articles. The more I plan out this one, the quicker I can write it and then focus most of my time on the other one."

He picked her up off her chair and sat down on it before bring her into his lap.

"Doctor."

"Clara."

She turned to face him. "How am I meant to do any work?"

"That's the whole point. Your not."

She leant forward and kissed him. Part of her wanted this night never to end. She had always been right about this relationship. It was totally different to anything she had before. Maybe that was why she more scared about something going wrong.

"Come on love birds. Cleggy just won his seat."

They both turned to look at Missy.

"Well that is probably the first bit of good news he has got tonight."

* * *

"Now that is a fucking shame."

Clara looked up at the screen to see that the SNP had won another seat.

"Charles Kennedy had that seat. He has held it for 32 years. Christ I remember when he won it. He was, something like, the youngest politician to win that seat or something like that. God it called an uproar."

"I could imagine the uproar you would make if you were a politician. Why didn't you become one?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Never thought about being one."

The cheers of the other members in the room announced the next Labour seat to be won. Ed Milliband was shown stepping up to give his speech.

"I may call him an idiot but at least he won his fucking seat."

"I think he is an idiot as well but I suppose that is politics now, which idiot do you choose?"

He snorted. "I suppose it is now."

They talked for a while, moving on from the topic of politics. It was a time that they took to find more about each other, things that before tonight they may not have said until now. Maybe they had both felt the change, even if it was only slightly.

Later they would notice while they were talking that the Tories had caught up with Labour and that David Cameron had won his seat.

* * *

Clara didn't really know what to make of it. Ed Balls had just lost his seat and the Doctor had become … well emotional over it. His mood had changed dramatically and, after watching her ex's favourite football team lose many times, she could feel that he wanted to cry.

This was the Doctor. He didn't seem like the sort of person that could cry. It just seemed weird to think that.

The whole night had been a bit surreal for her anyway but this had definitely made it the weirdest night of her life. Was he really that upset because he didn't get his seat?

It probably wasn't helped by the fact that the Tories were ahead and slowly edging forward towards the number of seats needed for the majority.

"Come on." She said to him as she rubbed his arm. "We better get to work."

He just nodded at her before getting out of the chair he was in.

If there was one thing for sure, the day was going to be as weird as the night was.


	21. 8th May

_I would just like to say that the reason I made The Doctor so upset about Ed Balls losing his seat is because when the results came out, my mum was upset that he didn't get his seat (although I wasn't allowed to be upset when Jenna announced that she had left)._

* * *

 **8th May**

Clara sighed as she watched the Doctor walk past the writer's room and straight off to his office. He was still in a weird mood since finding out that Ed Balls hadn't won his seat. He had told her that it was the end and that the Conservatives were bound to win. She was still trying to get over what had happened only a few hours earlier.

She yawned as she walked in and sat down. No one had said anything to her just yet but she was grateful when she saw the coffee sitting on her desk.

"I thought you might need it." Amy said.

Clara could fill her eyes fill with tears. She was definitely running on overtired. "Thank you." She took a sip of it. "It has been a very long night."

"Really?"

"A very long and surreal night."

"Why? What happened?"

The Doctor came in and stood in the middle of the room. He pointed over his shoulder. "Who got me the coffee?"

"I did." Amy said.

"Good. Thank you. It is needed."

"Doctor, are you alright?"

"Never better."

Clara knew that it was the exact opposite as he left. He looked lost.

"Okay what happened?" Amy asked again.

"The most surreal night ever. Have you not seen the news this morning?" Clara looked around as everyone shook their heads. She sighed. "The SNP took the whole of Scotland off Labour and just before we left Ed Balls lost his seat. He says that the Tories have won now."

River pulled a face and Clara realised that it wasn't going to be a good day for him.

* * *

Everyone was crowded around Clara's computer as one of the main hot seats was being announced. The seat went to the Tories.

"How many fucking seats is that now?"

Clara looked at her phone. "The Tories only need 7 more seats to gain the majority."

"I don't like him either but he should have won. The SN fucking P. That's who killed our chances." The Doctor said as he stormed out the room.

River patted Clara's shoulder in comfort.

"I bet he will be the first to fucking resign and then they all will." He shouted from where he was.

And he was right. It was a little before half 11 when Nigel Farage stood down, followed by Nick Clegg and then Ed Miliband.

The Doctor had calmed down slightly by that point. "Have fun writing something good."

Clara sighed. If she thought reporting the campaign was hard, writing about a defeat was going to be even harder.

* * *

Clara smiled to herself as she made her and the Doctor a coffee. He had his arms around her waist and his head resting on her back. It just confirmed to her what she was thinking last night. This was something that she wanted and something she wanted to last.

He lifted his head and rested it on her shoulder.

"You did say that you would help me over this." He started to kiss her neck.

She closed her eyes at the sensation and placed her hands over his.

"I do remember that. I will post some earplugs to my neighbours." She patted his hands. "Come on, we are at work. Anyone could walk in."

She felt him hug her tighter.

"You still hung up over old Ballsy."

"I never realised that it would affect me that much. It was definitely the end of Miliband. I am trying not to think about it. The less I think about it the better."

She could have laughed. She had swapped boys who cry over their favourite football team losing to a guy that gets upset over MP's losing their seat. There was only one good thing there was only an election every five years from now on.

The word was on the tip of her tongue. She could feel like she could say the sentence. She tried to turn in his arms to face him but his grip on her made it impossible.

"Come on." She said as he let her go a little. She turned in his arms and placed her hands on his chest. "Hey, it will get better. Think about it. The Tories blame the Lib Dems for all their problems. They won't have that this time around. You'll see. They will make every mistake under the sun and then they will be out and Labour will be in."

"Is that what you are writing about?"

"I have to write something that will uplift all the Labour supporters."

"I will look forward to reading it."

She gave him a quick peck. "Everything will be okay. Right, I don't know about you but I could do with a nap. I might just curl up in the stationary cupboard for about an hour or so."

"You could come to my office. We could try and curl up together in my chair."

"Now that is an extremely tempting offer."

The door of the kitchenette opened and Clara and the Doctor just looked at it, not attempting to jump apart from each other. Well, he did call her his girlfriend to Missy and Clara wanted this to be more than what it was at the moment.

Martha stood in the doorway and blinked a few times. She walked out before coming back in again. "I will umm, … leave you two to it." She said before doing so.

"She wouldn't go and tell everyone, would she?" Clara asked.

"No, Martha isn't like that."

* * *

"Martha, could I have a quick word?" Clara shouted as she ran down the hall to catch up with her. "Which way you going?"

"St Pauls."

"Good we can walk together."

The doors of the lift closed.

"Look about earlier." Martha said.

"We didn't want you to find out that way. I know how it must have looked and I am sorry that it was the way you found out."

"Wait so you two are a thing then?"

Clara turned to her. "Yes, we are a thing."

"I didn't have him down as your type. I would have seen you with someone more like John."

"I am probably going to have to say this to everyone but I don't care for pretty young men. I like a little age."

"So how long?"

"Let's just say that Amy's deductions were close to the mark." She said as the doors opened and they stepped out.

"So it was the Doctor who sent you flowers on Valentine's day."

"Yes, he likes to spoil me which can be a bit annoying at times." Clara turned to Martha. "Look, I would love everyone to know but I have really only just realised that whatever happens to us, we could get through it together. I … I was the one to keep it a secret. We will tell everyone but could you just keep it a secret for now."

"I wasn't going to tell anyone anyway. It is your life, you should tell them."

Clara smiled as the conversation moved on. She would have to talk to the Doctor but she was sure that they would tell them all soon. It would sort itself out. She was sure of it.


	22. 20th May

**20th May**

They had sorted it out. They had put labels on their relationship. They were as of now officially going out and were a couple. He wasn't her mystery man, he was her boyfriend. They held hands when they felt like it. They had nights in where they just lounged on the sofa and watched whole series of a show in one go. They kissed each other on the cheek in the lift just before the doors opened to say goodbye to each other.

Clara couldn't help it. It just felt right. Her concerns was still there. She knew that she would eventually have to get the relationship past her dad but that could wait until everyone in the writer's room knew. It could even wait longer than that. Her dad was in Blackpool and she was in London. It didn't matter that he didn't know.

"Morning." She sung as she entered the room.

"Someone's in a good mood." Rose noted.

"Well who wouldn't? The sun is shining for once. I have great friends and a great job and an even better boyfriend. My life is good at the moment."

"I think that is the first time you have called him your boyfriend." Amy said.

"I don't like to add labels. All the bad experiences taught me that. We talked over the past few weeks and I think we have finally worked it out. I have a good feeling about this relationship."

"We still need to meet him." Jack moaned.

"You will eventually." She said before she started typing.

* * *

With their acceptance of their relationship, they had started to become careless. There was no need to keep it from the rest of them but it didn't feel like the right time to tell them. It still felt new to them.

So they were quite surprised when Rory pulled on their arms and into the stationary cupboard.

"I thought you didn't want people knowing." He said as he grabbed a ream of paper from the shelf and left them to it.

"Did Amy tell him?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know. Maybe he could have worked it out."

"We are in the frame of mind that we don't want people knowing, aren't we?"

Clara laughed as he looked at him. "I think they are slowly finding out themselves anyway."

"I mean how would we announce it?"

"Maybe this is the best way of them finding out."

"We are being careless though."

"That makes it River, Amy, Martha and Rory knowing. If we don't want people finding out as quickly then maybe work should be work and we remain as professional as possible and then leave everything else for mine."

"We could do that couldn't we?"

"Just a thought, do you even go back to your flat now?"

"On occasions."

"To get more clothes to leave at mine." She said. "Not that I am complaining but you are paying rent on a flat that you aren't using. Maybe the next logical move would be for you to move in with me or I can move into yours."

"I prefer your flat to mine."

"I would have to talk to my landlord."

"I am sure it would be an easy enough conversation."

"He knows that you have already been there for a while. The neighbours have complained enough times for him to know that."

"Did you post them some earplugs?"

"Yeah, they didn't understand what I meant by it though."

They both looked at each other and laughed.

"The amount of complains you have had, I wonder why you haven't been kicked out." He asked her.

"Because my landlord comes and looks at my flat and sees that I keep it tidy and I pay the rent on time. A few noise complains for a 20-odd year old is expected."

"But then you aren't the sort of person who had parties there."

"I should be getting back. We could talk more about this later."

"Yes, you probably should." He gave her a quick kiss before letting her go.

* * *

Clara started to bite the skin around her thumb. It was becoming a bad habit of hers. Almost as bad as her using coffee as a substitute for sleep.

She didn't know whether she should say anything or not. In the end, curiosity won out and she opened up the email conversation that her and Amy had started previously.

 _Amy, you haven't told anyone, have you?_

She worked for a little but made sure that Amy was in her peripheral vision, so she could see what she was doing. Clara quickly opened her reply when she sent it.

 _Do you mean about earlier? Rory mentioned something. I am his wife Clara. I shouldn't really be keeping secrets from him. He did work it out on his own. He asked me questions and I just answered yes and no. He got it on the second go._

She sighed. He got suspicious and asked questions. It was expected. They all seemed to be really into who she was going out with.

 _I am not trying to have a go. I was just asking. It was just a bit of a shock earlier._

Amy looked over at Clara before sending her reply.

 _He also mentioned that. Maybe I should have let you know._

 _It doesn't matter. It seems like everyone is slowly finding out anyway._

 _What do you mean by that?_

Clara paused for a moment.

 _Over half the room knows anyway. Martha found us out on election day. I don't know what has happened Amy. Ever since that night, everything has felt different. I don't know how to explain it._

It took Amy a bit of time to reply and Clara thought it was weird when she received a text from her.

 _I know it is a Wednesday but drink tonight? X_

She knew that she would be able to okay it with the Doctor. He had mentioned that they spent quite a bit of time together. He could sort out anything he needed to sort out and she could have a night out with Amy.

 _No more distractions then. I need to get on if we are going out. X_

She sent a quick text to the Doctor to tell her of her plans for the evening and he replied with a smart arse comment that she should be getting on and not texting him if she wanted to go out. She just smiled as she wrote as much of her article as possible.


	23. 6th June

_So Amy, Martha and Rory all know. Will more find out?_

* * *

 **6th June**

It didn't last long, them trying to stay professional at work and leaving everything else for at home. They did try but it just didn't work. Even Amy commented on the fact that it wasn't working. Clara was sure that part of her day now involved emailing her to update her.

She did feel better after talking to Amy. Realistically, Clara wouldn't have put her down as a romantic. She had to keep reminding herself that she was the Agony Aunt of the paper. And boy did she give some good advice.

Things had moved slowly between the Doctor and her but Clara was glad that it had picked up the pace a bit. The Doctor had practically moved in with her and it just felt so right for him to be there all the time. Even though he was there the majority of the time after they fell into their relationship.

That was another thing that she was happy about. After everything that had happened to her, in terms of love, she didn't want to call it a relationship too quickly. She had no idea what it was between them before the election. She didn't even want to hazard a guess at it.

"Clara?"

She blinked as the Doctor clicked his fingers in front of her face. They were in the kitchenette on their meet up for that afternoon. They set a side half an hour to just see each other and have a coffee and a chat. It was just something that they did. Clara was sat on top of the counter while he was making their coffees.

"Look I know you aren't as interested in politics as I am but you could have told me to shut up rather than zone out."

"I had no idea who the hell you were talking about."

He turned back to their coffees. "I definitely introduced you to some of them. It isn't my fault you weren't paying attention."

"I was trying to sound interested. I know I should make more of an effort to be interested. It just wants my plan when I started Uni."

"What was your plan?"

Clara gave a short laugh. "Does anybody really know what they want to do at uni? I picked English because I liked the subject at school and I loved books."

"You must have had something you wanted to do after you got your degree though." He said, turning around with the coffees in hand.

"I would have loved to have gone back to uni to do a PGCE or something to that extent and become a teacher. Let's just say, I have never imagined working for a newspaper."

The Doctor chuckled as he handed her coffee over to her. "Life is shit, business as usual. That's the Scottish philosophy anyway."

She shook her head at him as she laughed. "Thanks for the coffee."

"No problem. It always seems like you make it."

"You do always make dinner."

"That is because you are busy because I am a reason you don't get it done in the office and I am the better cook out of us."

"You do know that you are now cooking all the time now."

"I don't mind. I quite like cooking for you." He took a sip of his coffee. "We haven't been out for a while."

"No we haven't."

"Don't worry. I know someone that owes me a favour."

"Does every restaurant in London owe you a favour?" Clara asked.

"Of course. We never put a bad review in our papers. We don't review often but when we do we make it a positive as possible and tell the owner if there are some massive problems. There is no reason why a restaurant should go under in a few months because of a few teething problems to begin with. Everyone has to start somewhere."

She smiled at him. "I will try and remember that for when people ask me how the hell I could work for you."

He gave her a playful grin before putting down his coffee and walking over to her. He took her coffee out her hands and she allowed him to stand between her legs.

"You know why you work for me." He lowered his voice which brought his accent out more.

"There are a few perks. I can't lie and say that I don't like them."

"You are the only one to get them."

"I would be extremely jealous if anyone else did get them."

He placed his hands on her thighs and kissed her. She arms automatically came around his neck as she tried to bring him closer to her. One of her hands wondered into his hair while he moved his hands to her hips. It didn't last as long as they would have liked. Clara heard voices and placed her hands on his chest, giving him a gentle push away.

They must have looked like a picture though. The Doctor dragged a hand through his hair to try and tame it while Clara licked her thumb and traced the outline of her lips, hoping to get rid of any lipstick marks. The Doctor in turn wiped his mouth along the back of his hand.

They both turned to the door as Donna and Rose came in. The Doctor grabbed his coffee and looked at his watch.

"Is that really the time?"

"What is it?" Clara asked.

"Nearly half three. You should probably get back. Shall I send you the names I said?"

"Yeah that is probably best." She said as she jumped down off the counter and picked up her coffee.

They both left the kitchenette at the same time and started to laugh. It took them a while to calm down.

"They can't have bought that." The Doctor said. "Do you think they know though?"

Clara tried to stop laughing. "Come on. They must know something was up."

"We should tell them, shouldn't we?"

"Well there is only Jack left that doesn't know. Maybe we should."

"We haven't been good with this secrecy thing lately."

"Who cares? I want to scream it from the rooftop. I want people, especially these guys, to know that I am in love with the Doctor."

He gave her a side smile. "You're in love with me."

Clara thought over her words. "I have been trying to say it since the election."

"Well I would love to say that I am in love with you too."

It was probably the only time that they would say it and they said it with more words necessary but they had said it. For two people that didn't wear their hearts on their sleeves, it was a start.


	24. 17th June

_A slightly different angle for this chapter._

* * *

 **17th June**

If there was one thing that Missy was not, it was that she was definitely not jealous of the Doctor's new girlfriend. She couldn't even remember her name. It did not bother her one bit that he was dating someone who looked like his daughter. She didn't care what he did with his life.

But there was a large part of her that hoped that after River, the Doctor would remain a bachelor or be with her. She had known him since forever.

Actually Clara was welcomed to him. He was an idiot and she deserved so much better than him. Just because he didn't see that they would be good together was his loss.

The lift opened and Missy walked out. She could have just posted them to him and _her_ but she hadn't seen the Doctor since the election because he had been with his girlfriend and had things to do with the paper. She didn't buy his excuses. They just seemed too lame for him.

"Clara." She said as she turned into the writers.

"Missy." Clara sat up, surprised to see her. "How are you?"

"Good, just thought that you might want these." She held up the envelop.

"The contenders for the Labour leadership?" Clara reached out and took the envelop when Missy nodded. "I will get straight on to it. I have been expecting these."

"I will be awaiting for what you write."

"I have an idea of how I am going to do it. I just hope that you will like it."

"The Doctor's in, isn't he?"

"As always." Clara said turning to her computer and opening the envelop.

Missy smiled before turning to walk out to the room and towards his office.

"Knock, knock." She said as she opened the door and let herself in.

"Missy." The Doctor hadn't looked up at her. He was reading through something, biting the at the skin around his thumb. She loved it when he did that.

She sat down in the seat in front of his desk. "How's my favourite editor? I haven't seen you for a while."

"I am fine. Sorry I have been busy." He looked at at her. "I do hope that this isn't a social call. I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in."

Her smile dropped as he looked back down that the paper in front of him. He always seemed to be too busy for her. Another reason why it was his loss that they never got together.

"I just thought I would pay you a visit. I have just given the candidates to your political writer."

His eyes flicked up to her. "The leadership candidates?"

"What other candidates would there be?"

"I hope that there is someone interesting."

"I would say that Jeremy Corbyn will be the one to watch."

"He is going for it then. I had heard the rumour." He said as he scribbled something down.

"Maybe he is the shake up the Labour party needs."

The Doctor just hummed in approval. She was so glad that she made an effort that morning, not.

She cleared her throat. "Things must be serious then."

"What things?" He brow creased up.

"With Clara. When I asked you to bring her along, I didn't actually expect that you would. I would have thought that she was going to be your dirty little secret, like River was."

It became clear very quickly that the Doctor was trying to ignore her, in hopes that either she would drop the subject or leave him alone. It was probably both but she wanted to know.

"I must admit, I have never seen you like that before with a woman. I didn't expect you to be so open. You are usually quite … well, you don't wear your heart on your sleeve do you?"

He put down his pen and sighed. She could tell that he already had this conversation with someone else. He didn't want to tell her. Maybe he had noticed over the years and didn't want to hurt her feelings.

He opened his mouth but was saved by the knock on the door. He gave out a sigh of relief.

"Come in."

"Thought you might like this. I have finished with what I was given." Clara said, skipping into the office.

The Doctor sat back in his chair. "Of course I would. Thank you."

Missy tried not to notice the look on their faces but it just put her into a bad mood.

* * *

When she got back to the office, she must have had a face like thunder. No one had spoken to her and she just tapped her pen against the desk.

The Doctor and his stupid young girlfriend. She was a girlfriend. If it had lasted with River, she would be as old as any child that they might have had.

Anyway she was really short and had an exceptionally round face. She couldn't see how the Doctor could see her as beautiful or pretty or … but that was the problem, she was very pretty.

What was worse was that fact that she was English. Missy didn't think she would be so mad if she was Scottish. She had always pictured him with someone Scottish. She had an accent but she was still English.

"Come on. Tell me, what's up?"

Missy looked up at Harold and tried to give him a death glare. Unfortunately, he was the only one in the building who wasn't afraid of her as most of them were.

"It is nothing."

"It is something for you to scare off half the office with just the look on your face."

"The Doctor and his girlfriend, Clara. I don't even see what he sees in her. For a start, she is English and then …" She trailed off.

"Sounds like someone is jealous."

"Me. Jealous. Harold, that is the last thing that I am. Why would I be jealous? She is welcome to him. I am only looking out for an old friend. She is probably after him for something. I mean you saw them. She is miles too young for him."

He patted her on the shoulder. "You keep telling yourself that."


	25. 20th June

**20th June**

"My eyes!" Jack complained as he ran into the writers room, rubbing them. Clara and the Doctor quickly joined soon afterwards.

"I think he has found out." Rory muttered.

"Jack! Calm down. Stop overreacting." The Doctor shouted over him.

"Why? It you and her. I mean it is you. And her." He said pointing at them. He turned to the rest of the room. "He is Clara's mystery man."

Everyone looked up at Jack and gave him the same look.

"Wait, do you lot know about them?"

There were a few mummers.

"You all know and none of you thought to tell me. This is the news of the century."

"I wouldn't call it that." Clara muttered, feeling totally out of control of the situation.

"When did you all find out? Martha? Come on you couldn't have known for long."

Martha gave a small laugh. "I found out on the day after the election. 8th May, I think. They were in the kitchenette and they were hugging. We know that the Doctor was hung up about Ed Balls."

"He still is." Clara couldn't help herself but comment.

The Doctor gave her a look. "No I am not,"

"Yes you are."

"I wasn't going to say anything. It wasn't my place to tell you. Anyway Clara asked me not to say anything." Martha continued.

"Donna, you would have told me." Jack smiled at her.

"I guessed that something was happening between them. Well me and Rose guessed that something was happening. I know when two people have made out. And then their behaviour was just off. This was again in the kitchenette."

The Doctor was quick to say something. "Before you ask, no, nothing had happened in there. Nothing of what you are thinking of."

"I wasn't thinking that anything happened in there. I just know I will be going out to get my coffees now." Jack said, trying to sound innocent.

"Jack, I know how your mind works."

Jack turned to Amy and Rory. "Well they must have found out at the same time."

"Not necessarily." Amy said.

"You two tell each other everything."

"Don't worry. I was as shocked as you when I found out. I will admit that I have known for a while but I only told Rory when he started to become suspicious. I mean it does take a while to get your head around it but when you hear the things that Clara says about him, it is cute."

"Are these the things that you talk about on your girly nights out?" The Doctor turned to Clara and smiled. "What things do you say about me?"

"Nothing that you don't already know."

"Like?"

"Now that would be telling."

They smiled at each other. Maybe part of them was glad that it was finally out in the open. Clara had enjoyed the secrecy of it but when they started to call themselves a couple, it became harder and harder to hide it. That was probably the reason why they had all found out.

Jack pretended to retch.

"I find it oddly sweet how they are."

The whole room turned to River, who had gone back to her article as everyone was talking.

"What?" She said as she looked up.

"You know?"

"I was the one to tell the Doctor to stop being stupid and gave him a push in the right direction. I think you lot would have seen it sooner if you knew the signs. The Doctor fell for her since the moment he saw her."

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "What? She is incredible beautiful."

"Why was I the last to know?" Jack moaned.

* * *

"They all know now."

"I know."

"How are your control freak tenderise holding out?"

She laughed. "Not very well. God, I felt so out of control earlier. It was awful."

The Doctor slipped his hand into hers as they left the building.

"I suppose it was about time that they did all find out." He commented.

"We had become exceptionally careless. I am happy that they all know and I am happy that they are happy for us."

"See all your fears were irrational."

"I know that they were irrational but just because they were didn't mean that it couldn't happen or still happen for that matter. Just because they know doesn't mean that it still could turn sour for us."

"Well I have no plans for it to turn sour for us."

She turned to him. "You know what I mean. No one has plans for things to go sour. But sometimes they do."

"I will not want to let you go any time soon Clara Oswald."

Weirdly, she believed him.

* * *

"Wait, everyone knows now." Clara said.

"I did say that earlier."

The Doctor placed his hand on her hip as she rose onto her elbow.

"But work is not going to be different, isn't it? I mean like we won't need specific times to meet because we aren't hiding it. I mean, how do we act? Do we act like we are a couple? Do we just act like we have done? Are they expecting us to act like a couple? Do we openly flirt? Do we try and keep it the same as it was just we don't have to stop if they see? It is going to be so different."

"That is a lot of questions."

"Haven't you thought about them then?"

"No, I was too busy trying to shrug off Jack's jokes. I even think Rory got bored of it after a while. God he is insufferable."

"So that's where they disappeared to. Leaving me with Donna. You had Jack's jokes. I had Donna's questions." She laid back down and rested her head on his shoulder. "I had hoped that it would have taken them a little longer for them to find out."

"Why?"

"Because I said to myself that when they found out, I would tell my dad."

"Does that mean I will have to meet him? Just I don't have the best track record. I think River's dad punched me in the face when I showed up on her doorstep."

Clara tried not to laugh. "Really? My dad will probably do the same. No I will just have to get the idea passed him first off. Hopefully Linda and her judgemental views will stay out of it."

"Is she really that bad?"

"I introduced Nina as a friend and as soon as she left, Linda was telling my dad that she wasn't the type of person that I should be hanging around with. It almost made me tell them that she was my girlfriend."

"So I won't be able to charm her."

"She would probably close the door in your face and wonder why you knocked on it in the first place. No, my dad would probably be happy for me if I was happy. Whether he would have doubts, I would never know because he would never voice them. He would probably tell me that your not the man that he ever thought I would end up with but he would come around to the idea."

"So when are you going to tell him?"

"When I have built up the courage to phone him." She looked up at him. "Please don't take this as I am embarrassed to be with you. Because I am not. You already know that I would love to shout it from the rooftops. It's just my dad."

"Don't worry. I totally understand. I know it is a lot harder for parents to let go. I am sure my parents would have loved you." He kissed her forehead. "And about work, we will just play it as we used to do but now we can walk right up to the writer's room before saying goodbye to each other. Nothing really has to change, if you don't want it to."

"And sometimes change is good." She commented.


	26. 16th July

**16th July**

The weird thing was, even though everyone knew that they were dating, nothing really changed. Realistically the only thing that changed was they were more open about it, like they would kiss and flirt more openly. There were the girly chats about him and Clara would sometimes bit her lip to stop her from spilling too much.

If anything, she actually enjoyed it more than she thought. She had become part of the team there and she was sure if they broke up, which was a very big if, she was sure that they would take both sides, no matter to who was to blame.

Even if it wasn't something that she wanted to do, Clara was very glad that she took this job. The last seven months had been the best and she wasn't going to leave it now.

An email alert came up on her computer. She looked across at Amy and saw that she was deep in thought, chewing the pen that was in her mouth. She was more curious to who it was from more than anything. She slowly read through the email, just to make sure that she was reading what she thought she was.

It was an email from another newspaper trying to recruit her. If anything she started to panic. She remembered what the Doctor had said to her and she didn't want to leave. She would have to find a way to put that she wasn't interested.

"Clara?"

She turned and looked at the Doctor.

"Are you okay?"

She smiled up at him. "Yeah, I am fine."

"You sure?"

She nodded at him. "Sure."

"Just you looked a little … shocked."

Her eyes flicked back to the computer screen. "Yeah, I am fine."

He didn't seem convinced but he let it go at that point. She knew that he would ask again later but by then she would have had the chance to process it and calm down. She looked up at the clock. It was probably going to end up being a long day.

* * *

He watched her from the kitchen. As soon as they had got back home, she had sat down on the sofa and started to work on her article. After half an hour, the typing had stopped and she was just staring at her computer screen. Her behaviour had worried him but he knew not to make assumptions.

"There seems to be a lack of typing." The Doctor said as he sat down next to her. "Are you okay? You know a problem shared is a problem halved."

Clara sighed before shaking her head. She had thought all day about how she was going to tell the Doctor. It wasn't like she was going to accept it but she didn't know how to tell them no.

She handed him her laptop. "Skaro have offered me a job."

She watched as his eye flicked across the screen, reading the email that she had read a hundred times over since she opened it.

"You must decline."

"I know."

"Have you?"

"I … I don't know what to put."

"It was bad enough losing John to Trenzalore. You know I cannot lose you as well."

"I know." She took the laptop off him and opened up a document. "I did a little research earlier. I have managed to find a few things that suggest that Skaro gets who they want or they destroy their career. Mine has only just started. I know I need to decline"

The Doctor sighed next to her. "Look, stop worrying about it. You get on with your article and I will think of something that we could put. We will write it together."

He kissed her forehead before leaving her.

Clara shook her head and tried to think back to her article. Get that done and then they can get the email done.

* * *

"Read what you have put so far."

"Dear sirs. Thank you for you email and your job proposition. As tempting as the offer is, I am currently working for Galifrey and have no intentions of leaving any time soon and therefore wish to decline your offer." Clara read. "I still think it needs a little something more."

The Doctor paced as he thought. His hands were behind his back.

"I agree. Umm … maybe … delete the part from 'As tempting as the offer is'. I don't know that part just doesn't sound right."

"What about, 'The offer is tempting but with much consideration, I am unfortunately going to have to decline it.' or something to that affect?"

"Yes." He said, clicking his fingers. He started to wave his hands around in the air. "With much consideration, I … have come to the conclusion that the job … offered … isn't for me. No scrap that last bit. That the job offered …"

"Isn't what I am looking for at the moment."

He clicked his finger again. "Perfect."

"Then shall I say about not having any intentions to leave and then finish it up by telling them thank you again."

"Yeah." He dropped down onto the sofa. "This writing lark is hard."

"It's not if you know what you want to put." She said as she finished it off. "Send it?"

"Go for it."

Clara hit send and felt a weight lift off her.

* * *

"Hopefully everything will be okay. I mean, it isn't like I have this 10 year brilliant career to destroy. I have only been working for you for seven months. There is no harm for them to do."

"Let's just say, if they somehow manage to find a skeleton in your closet, I will make sure that I uncover all theirs."

Clara pulled him closer to her. She hoped that everything was going to be alright.

* * *

The email came through and the man smiled as he saw the name. Clara Oswald was the person they wanted. Her writing in Gallifrey was the sort of thing that they needed on their team and it was about time that they tried to steal someone away from the leading newspaper.

He growled as he looked at her reply. It was not what he wanted. He picked up his phone.

"I want you to find as much dirt on Clara Oswald as you possible can." He said when the person answered the phone. "I don't care even if you have to make it up. I want something damming."

He read the email once more just to make sure he had read it correctly.

 _Dear Sirs,_

 _Thank you for you email and your job proposition. The offer is tempting but with much consideration, I have come to the conclusion that the job offered isn't what I am looking for at the moment. I have no intentions of leaving Gallifrey for the foreseeable future._

 _Thank you again for your kind offer._

 _Your faithfully,_

 _Clara Oswald_


	27. 27th July

_I didn't realise how close we were to ending this story. Boy time goes fast doesn't it?_

* * *

 **27th July**

They had both said different amounts of time to when they thought Skaro was going to publish something if they were. The Doctor had been more optimist and thought that they would publish something within three days, that's if they could find something. Clara had given it a week. As she had a non-existence career, there wasn't much they could get there with there. It was her personal life that would be spread over the pages, if they wanted to really get at her for declining.

The fact that nothing had happened put her slightly at ease. They had not found anything and they could go back to normal. It wouldn't be on her mind every second.

The Doctor had got talking to someone and told her to go up. She entered the writers room to see them all crowded around Jack's desk. She rose on her tiptoes to see what they are looking at.

"What you got there?" She said.

They all turned and looked at her while Jack grabbed whatever they were looking at and put it down the back of his trousers. They all looked worried.

"Okay, what has happened?" She gave a nervous laugh.

No one said anything and they all went to their desks as the Doctor walked past. He stopped and walked into the room, stopping next to her.

"What's going on?"

Everyone averted their eyes and tried to act as normal as possible. They all seemed to look over at Jack at the same time. He sighed loudly before handing the newspaper over to them.

Clara apprehensively took it from him and looked at it. She had written worse about the conservatives but it hurt how her life had become front page news. Pictures of her and the Doctor were plastered over it and it wasn't just hurtful to her but to him as well.

She opened the paper to the full report and she could feel the Doctor reading over her shoulder. They had picked apart their relationship and made it seem like it was something that it wasn't.

"We all know the truth." Amy said. "If it helps."

The Doctor took the paper out of her hands and threw it straight into the bin. "Jack, what have I told you about bringing other papers into ours? You could at least support ours if you are going to buy a paper."

Clara knew that he wanted to shout but also knew that it wasn't Jack's fault the article was published. She turned and sat on the edge of Jack's desk.

"They said that you are using me. How can they put that? They are saying I am your little … whore." She said, tears falling down her cheeks.

The Doctor pulled her into his arms and the whole room went back to what they were doing to try and give them a little privacy. He saw Amy smile at Rory.

"Like Amy says, they know the truth. But you should probably call your dad."

"Shit." She exclaimed. "Fucking hell, he is going to think the worst. Fuck."

She let go of him and dived into her bag to grab her phone. When she found it, it was already ringing.

* * *

"Dad please. Just ..." Clara tried.

" _Clara, this is saying that you are his … well it is implying that he is … what do you call them?"_ Her dad paused. _"A sugar daddy."_

She cringed at the idea. "No it isn't like that. We are ..."

" _Maybe it's best if you came back home. I am sure you can get another job up here."_

"I can't. I love this job and if you will just let me speak ..."

" _I would prefer it. At least I know that you are safe."_

"I am safe. Dad, it isn't like what the article says. We are together. We are in a relationship." She caught sight of the Doctor in his office.

" _Clara, he is ..."_ She heard him opening the paper. _"He is 57. That is as old as me. Please Clara. I don't like it."_

"I never thought that you would but just listen to what I am saying. I do care for him." She hesitated and was glad that he didn't interrupt her. "I … love him."

Her dad fell silent. It was extremely unnerving. She bit the skin around her thumb and started to pace as she waited for him to answer.

" _I think it is best that you come back to Blackpool. He is obviously using you. Clara, it isn't love. This is … abuse. He is using you for his own gain. Do you really think a man like that would be with you because of anything else but sex?"_

"Dad, please." She was crying again.

" _I suppose you should get on. We will talk more later."_

"Dad, please. Listen to me. Don't, … forget what you have read this morning. He isn't like that."

" _We will talk later."_ He said before he hung up.

Clara leant against the wall and closed her eyes. She couldn't worry about it. She needed to go back in that room and finish her article and just get on with her day. She could do that.

She pushed herself off the wall and walked into the writers room, to her desk and she sat down. She opened up her article and started to type. She could do this. She just had to block it all out.

Clara wrote one line before she placed her head against the desk. She couldn't do it. She just kept hearing her dad's words over and over again. It hurt her to think that he would think that she would be easily manipulated like that.

"Shall someone get the Doctor?" She heard Jack say.

"I will go and get him. I am finished." Amy replied to him.

She could sense that Amy wanted to help her out but didn't really know how to. No one really would. She just wanted to go back to sleep and start the day over. She didn't want this all to happen. Everything that she had worried about had happened. She was certain that it was going to be the beginning of the end for her and the Doctor.

"Clara?" He said, softly, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She lifted her head off the desk.

"Bring your laptop. We are going to get a coffee."

* * *

The Doctor took her laptop off her and opened it up in front of him, reading the article that she had started, trying to help her finish it. They had tucked themselves into the far corner of the shop but he could still feel everyone's eyes on them.

"I guess it didn't go well with your dad."

"He called you a sugar daddy."

"A what?"

"A older man, usually rich, who buys thing for a young woman in return for … sex really. He said that you were using me. That was even after I told him that I love you."

"That couldn't have been easy to say."

"Why's that?"

"Because that is the first time one of us has used I love you as a way of saying how we feel." He turned the laptop to her and pointed to a sentence.

She explained to him what she meant and he turned it back to him and changed it. "I just wished that he hadn't judged you so quickly."

He shut the laptop. "I know at the moment it may seem like the end of the world." He leant forward and grabbed her hand. "But trust me, it isn't. We can get through this. It will just show us what we are made of."

Clara took some reassurance from his words but knew that she couldn't believe them just yet.


	28. 2nd August

**2nd August**

Clara closed her eyes as she tried to get a little more sleep. She didn't have to get a train as earlier as she did but when her plan to go up the previous night was stopped by train delays and cancellations, she thought that it might be best.

Since Monday, her dad had been trying to get her to come back to Blackpool and away from the Doctor. Their phone calls would last for hours and she just wished that he would treat her like an adult in this situation, rather than a child.

She knew what she was doing. She knew that she loved the Doctor. She also knew how it must look to someone on the outside.

She hated Skaro. All this because she turned them down. It was a bit pathetic.

The thing was, due to her confessions on the phone, she couldn't lie and tell her dad that they had made it all up. The main part of this trip was to make him understand that she couldn't leave London or her job. She would have loved for her dad to accept her relationship but she knew that was never going to happen now.

* * *

He was waiting for her outside the train station. She waved at him, he didn't wave back. He helped her put her bag in the back of the car but didn't speak a word to her as he left the train station car park. Clara looked over at her dad and just wanted to break the silence. She hated these sort of situations.

"How have you been?" She asked causally.

She turned back and looked at the road. He wasn't going to answer her. She got out her phone and sent a quick text to the Doctor telling him that she made it safely and that she would talk to him tomorrow. She smiled at his reply before turning her phone off. Today was going to be a day of no distractions.

"Was that him?" Her dad said, surprising her.

"Yes, I was just saying that I have arrived."

"Why?"

"Because he cares about me."

"Clara, there is only one thing that he cares about."

"Doesn't make him any different to any other guy I know then."

She turned and looked at him. He looked a bit taken aback by her reply. They finished the rest of the journey in silence.

* * *

"Where's Linda?"

"Does it matter?"

"Dad please talk to me." Clara sat down at the kitchen table. "I know how this is already going to begin and end."

"She's on a spa weekend with friends."

"Dad?"

He turned to her. "Clara?"

"Please forget everything that you have read about him. He isn't like that. The Doctor just has a bad reputation and to begin with I hated him. He was always on my back and I thought that he was always having a go. Once you get to know him, he is nothing like the rumours say. I would even go as far as to say that he is the exact opposite."

"You have only known him for a few months ..." He started.

"Eight months. I have been working for him for eight months and dating him properly for just under three months."

"You have only known him for 8 months. How can you say those sorts of things?" He paused. "What do you mean properly dating him?"

"I mean calling him my boyfriend. And I would have said those sorts of things if I was just working for him. He really cares about everyone that I work with and they all adore him as well."

Dave sighed. "I know you are an adult. I know that I should let you go. But him? Really?"

"He wouldn't hurt me. Or take advantage of me."

"I am not happy with it."

"I know. I was going to tell you and … that way I hoped that you would have taken it better. Look, just … get you head around the idea and give him a chance. He might surprise you."

He took a few moments to reply and Clara tried not to be hopeful but she did take a bit of joy out of the silence. It meant that he was at least thinking it over slightly.

"I just don't think I can. I mean … I am happy for you if you are but just don't expect me to truly ever accept it."

"I worried that you were going to say that."

* * *

She turned over as she tried to get to sleep. The rest of the day had been quite pleasant. After their chat, she went and saw her Gran for a few hours. She was a lot less judgemental about the Doctor and said that she couldn't wait to meet him. Clara had assured her that she would bring him to visit her soon.

After that she had got onto her laptop and started to work on an article for the morning. She would have to work more on it in the train but it was just a start.

Unfortunately, Linda had come back and started up the conversation and argument against her seeing the Doctor again. Clara had reminded her that if she went with her plan to go back to uni so she could teach, she would never have met him. It made her shut up for a while.

Clara sighed heavily as she opened her eyes. It was just a little before midnight and she just couldn't sleep. She tried to put it down to the hours that she had been working but she knew the real reason to why she couldn't. It was only one night but she missed the Doctor's arms around her or her latching on his side. She had woken up next to him near enough every day since February.

She picked up her phone from the bedside table and turned it on. She had original turn it off so her and her dad could talk about things but now that they had, there was no harm in talking to the Doctor. She placed her phone to her ear as it began to ring.

" _Hey."_

"Hey." She said, copying him.

" _Missing me?"_

"Yeah just a bit. You? Are you missing me?"

He chuckled. _"See I have the better offer. I am surrounded by your stuff. I can close my eyes and still smell you around me."_ He paused. _"I just realised how creepy that sounded."_

She laughed at him. "I don't mind."

" _You don't have to tell me how it went now if you don't want to. It can wait till morning."_

"I might not be in till 10."

" _It will be alright. Do you need an extension or do you think you will get them in on time?"_

"I have three hours to write on the train. I should be fine. If not, I will let you know." Clara sighed. "You don't actually understand how nice it is just to hear your voice."

" _Yours as well."_

She rested the phone between her ear and the pillow. "Talk to me for a little longer please."

He laughed at her again before doing as he was told.


	29. 3rd August

_The penultimate chapter *screams*_

* * *

 **3rd August**

Her dad had dropped her off in the same way that he had picked her up. She had kissed his cheek and told him that she would call him but she knew that he still felt the same way and he didn't want to let her go back to him.

Clara rubbed her eyes as she tried to complete her article. She had managed to get a lot done and it was mainly just finishing it off before starting her next one.

"You're the girl from the newspaper."

She turned to the man. "Sorry?"

"You're the girl who is … you know for the man widely known as the Fucker."

She blinked at him. "Firstly he is not using me for sex and secondly, what gives you the right to judge us on what one newspaper has reported on?"

The man looked a little stumped. "Just everyone seems to be talking about it at the moment. Is it true that it is the only reason you got the job?"

Clara glared at him. "I have better things to do." She got a pair of headphones out of her bag and plugged them into the laptop to try and block out anyone else who was going to bring it up.

* * *

"Some people have no fucking respect." Clara fumed as she walked into the writer's room.

"And good morning to you too." Jack joked.

"I was asked on the train this morning if I was the girl that was you know for the man widely known as the Fucker. Dear lord it took me everything not to shout at him." She said as she sat down.

"I am guessing things are still bad between you and your dad as well then." Amy commented.

Clara sighed. "He won't even give him a chance."

"It was probably the worst way that he could have found out that your daughter is dating someone who is roughly the same age as yourself. Clara, it was plastered all over the front of the newspaper."

"I know that. I am just going to give him a bit of time. Let everything sink in and then, maybe try again."

"Why don't you just turn up on his doorstep with the Doctor intact?" Jack causally asked.

"Because that is the worst idea in the world. If River's dad punched him, my dad will try to knock him out. Not that I think he would be able to."

"Your dad punched the Doctor." Jack turned his attention to River.

"He said it was because he didn't like the look of him but he wasn't the first of my boyfriends that he punched." River said, not breaking the speed of her typing.

"Anyway, I want my dad to get used to the relationship and I understand that will take time. It took me long enough to get used to the fact that I had fallen for him myself. One good thing did come out of the trip, my Gran cannot wait to meet him. So I might have to take him to Blackpool soon anyway. We just won't be going too close to my dad's."

* * *

"It didn't go well then."

Clara sighed. "I wish I could say that it did."

"Do you really think your dad would knock me out?"

"I think he would have a good go at it. After all, he does think that you are just using me for sex still." She rose up on her tiptoes and pecked the Doctor's lips when he gave her a sad smile. "Everything will be okay in the end."

"The thing was, you were waiting for something to go wrong."

"I was waiting for something to go wrong between us."

"Same thing isn't it?" He opened his mouth before closing it again, carefully choosing his words. "Let's leave this all behind for a bit."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I had wanted to keep it as a surprise but I was planning on taking you away for a few days. Somewhere just so that you can forget about writing about politics and just have some down time. It has been a bit full on since you started."

"Can we do that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you are the editor of Gallifrey, a newspaper that is published six days a week, and I am the political and educational journalist, to which the paper is famous for. We are two of the most important components of the paper. Can we just up and go on holiday?"

"I know a freelance journalist that can cover your part of the paper and I have someone that I can rely on to do my job. The problem isn't us going, it is whether us going is going to look like we are running away slightly."

"I understand where you are coming from but it would be nice to get away wouldn't it. You know that this has only come about because I declined them." She smiled with realisation. "Couldn't we do the same? I know it might sound a bit tit for tat but you said that there have been journalist that have had their whole careers destroyed because of Skaro. Why don't we expose them for the bullies they are?"

The Doctor looked like he was considering it. "It would be tit for tat."

Clara nodded.

"It could work though. No one has ever gone against Skaro though."

"We could be the first."

"It could make us or break us. If we do it and it fails, that could be it for Gallifrey."

"You're the editor. It is your paper. You are the one to give it the go ahead."

"It would be great if it did work."

"It would definitely break Skaro."

"I expect they would have a lot of skeletons in their closet."

"You did say that you would try and uncover all of theirs if they found one in mine." She reminded him.

"I did, didn't I?" He smiled at her. "Let's do it then. Let's try and bring down Skaro."

"Really?"

"Really. We will start tonight. We can get everyone on it. There will have to be a lot of interviews. Yes, everyone will get involved. It will show them that if they mess with one person in Gallifrey, we stick by them. Oh Clara Oswald, what would I do without you?"

"Realistically, without me, this wouldn't have happened in the first place."

He chuckled. "I am glad you are here."

She smiled up at him. "So am I."

"Right, back to work. I need to make a few phone calls." He said as he left her.

"I thought I was the boss."

"Not here" The Doctor shouted over his shoulder.

Clara was stupid to think that they wouldn't be alright. Of course they would be alright. It was her and the Doctor against the world and weirdly it made so much sense.


	30. 9th and 24th August

_Firstly, I would like to thank everyone that have reviewed this story. Every review made my day (it was good for when I was at work). I would then like to thank all the people that have followed and read this story. It is nice to know that people do like the stories I post._

 _So, yeah, this is the last chapter of this story. I don't know what more to say so lets get on with the story._

 _New stories will be up the week beginning 11th July_

* * *

 **9th and 24th August**

 **9th August**

She didn't particularly understand why they didn't do this in the office but they had decided that Clara's flat was the perfect place to consolidate all their research and information against Skaro together.

They all left work together after the deadline and hadn't left the flat since, unless it was because a takeaway had been delivered.

"What are we feeling tonight?" Jack asked as he stretched.

"You are throwing my diet out the window." Donna said pointing her finger at him.

The Doctor lowed the paper that he was reading. "Clara likes to bulk buy pasta. I am sure that we have a sauce as well to go with it."

Clara looked at him hurt. "It is always nice to have pasta in. It's for times when I cannot be asked to cook a proper meal."

He got up walked over to her. "You know I am just teasing you." He gave a her a quick kiss.

"I don't care."

"Everyone up for pasta then?" The Doctor asked to the group.

Everyone seemed up for the idea and he was grateful for it. All the reading was hurting his eyes and he just really needed a break.

* * *

Clara clicked as she tried to think of the word. Donna, Martha and Rose had decided to go home after they had finished their input while Amy and Rory had decided to stay a little long but had just gone out for a quick walk. Jack had fallen asleep on the floor.

"Give me the sentence."

"I almost had it."

"Give me the sentence." The Doctor repeated.

She sighed loudly. "Skaro have always got their own way and if they didn't ..." She read.

"And if they didn't, they cause many good journalist … to feel ashamed that they turned them down."

"I was going to go with throwing their toys out the pram way but that will do as well." She said as she typed. "Just to do my letter."

She got up and dropped onto the sofa next to him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder and placed a kiss to her hair as he read.

"Do you think it will work?"

"The amount of work we have all put in, I hope it does."

She took the paper out of his hands and straddled his lap, taking his glass off. "You looked stressed."

"Do I?"

"I know one way to relieve stress."

He pulled her closer to him and kissed her deeply. Jack snored from his place on the floor.

"Maybe not here though." He said, picking her up at the same time as getting up off the sofa. She kissed him again as they walked towards the bedroom.

* * *

"Clara, that is perfect." Amy said. "Your letter, it is perfect."

"Do you not think it needs a little more?"

"No it is fine."

Clara took the paper back off Amy and read through it.

 _Dear Readers,_

 _Firstly, I would love to thank you for sticking with Gallifrey after the revelation. I am glad that I do work for a paper that cannot be stopped by false accusations. I know I am happy here at Gallifrey and I would love to stick around as long as you want me to._

 _Now to address a few rumours._

 _I am dating the Doctor. I will not deny that. But he isn't a sugar daddy or using me for sex or anything to that description. We are both two adults that have happened to fall for someone that we probably shouldn't have. People say that age is a number and it is really. I know I am happy with him._

 _The Doctor isn't like what people say. He will hate me for this but he is one of the sweetest guys I know. The Fucker is just a man that was made up. He doesn't even know who it came from or why it came about. He cares about the whole team and cares about this paper. Maybe that's why so many of you have stuck with us._

 _Skaro had offered me a job but as I have said, I am happy at Gallifrey. They didn't like that. We could say that their report is slander. The offer they gave me was tempting but the work environment there wouldn't be the same as at Gallifrey. I have made some good friends here and sometimes I wish that I had known them for longer._

 _The following articles will look like tit for tat but we think that it is important to tell the world about Skaro and their practices._

 _I hope that you all carry on to read Gallifrey._

 _Your faithfully,_

 _Clara Oswald_

 _Your Political and Educational Correspondent_

* * *

 **24th August**

They had managed to book a holiday at short notice. The cover had been harder to organise. Sarah-Jane had been happy to takeover from Clara but the Doctor's role as editor took a bit more persuading.

Clara felt giddy as she walked through the terminal towards the plane. She held on to the Doctor's arm and couldn't help but smile.

"Is this your Christmas then?" He asked.

"Sorry?"

"You called the election my Christmas. Is this trip going to be like yours?"

"Everyday with you is like my Christmas. I wouldn't want it any other way."

He turned to her. "Good because you are stuck with me."

"Good."

They reached one of the last corridors when Clara let go of his arm and walked over towards the free newspapers.

The Doctor stood there while she picked on up.

"You work for a newspaper. You already know what it says. You probably wrote the same thing."

She laughed at him. "Just because I have doesn't mean that it is going to be the same. I would just like to know how everyone else sees it. Anyway, this is the last time we are going to see anything about what is happening in Britain for a week."

"Come on." He said to her.

* * *

Clara opened the paper when they were sat on the plane. She hoped to read some of it before all the safety announcements. She had already brought herself a book that she had planned to read on the plane if her and the Doctor had run out of things to say.

After a few pages, she opened to a double page spread.

"Doctor." She said as she elbowed him.

He turned to her and saw the page that she was showing him. There were picture plastered of the head of Skaro, some with their hands out to try and obscure their face. The headline read 'Secret Skaro'.

"You came up with a better one than that."

"But listen, 'The report from Gallifrey, that showed that writers were blackmailed into taking their jobs or shamed for not doing so, was seen as backlash after their damming report about their editor and political & educational writer. Since the report, there have been a number of ex-employees and other journalist that have come forward to confirm what Gallifrey said. It seems like this newspaper has as many skeletons as they have uncovered themselves.'" She read. "There is also a bit about the letter that I wrote."

She looked up at him. "Does this mean that everything will go back to normal?"

He chuckled. "Oh Clara Oswald, your life will never be normal again."

They both smiled at each other as the air hostesses started the safety announcement.


End file.
